Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is coming under intense scrutiny following a difficult start to the season and, not for the first time this year, questions are swirling around his future in the dugout.
A 3-0 defeat against Liverpool at Old Trafford before the international break was perhaps written off as a blip, but the heat has ramped up following Tottenham Hotspur’s visit last weekend — which saw another three unanswered goals and a red card for Bruno Fernandes — with the Dutchman’s side looking out of sorts from the off.
Reports suggest that his sacking is not imminent, perhaps in part due to the associated costs of that decision, but he will be under the microscope in the Red Devils’ fixtures against Porto and Aston Villa this week. Candidates to fill any upcoming vacancy are already emerging.
Manchester United vacancy talk leaves Graham Potter in an awkward spot
Former Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter has been high on the shortlist to take over the United gig for a while, according to reports from Sky Sports last year — rumours which reignited in the summer following further questions over Ten Hag’s future.
With speculation growing, and Potter appearing as a guest on Monday Night Football ahead of Bournemouth v Southampton, it was an opportune moment to ask him about the links.
Asked whether he’d be open to taking charge at United, should the chance present itself, Potter awkwardly responded: “I’m sitting here enjoying this challenge of answering your questions. That’s where I’m at at the moment”
The new hierarchy at the Theatre of Dreams probably wouldn’t harm Potter’s prospects in any recruitment process, with the currently out-of-work boss having previously operated under United’s new director of football, Dan Ashworth, at Brighton. But Potter was keen to keep details of any conversations he had over the summer private.
“I think out of respect to those people, it’s best those are kept private,” he said. “Dan will want to support and help. That’s my experience working with him. He was very supportive at Brighton. He would challenge at the right time, but want to help.”
It never harms to keep yourself in the good books of any potential future employer.
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Potter struck a genuinely supportive tone for his fellow manager on the show, which FourFourTwo believes is partly due to his naturally respectful nature, but probably also has a lot to do with him knowing exactly how Ten Hag feels through his own experiences at Chelsea.
However, it is clear, in FourFourTwo’s opinion – from the non-answers that Potter gave which would make any politician proud – that the job-hunting coach would be very interested in exploring the United vacancy and has likely already had informal chats to that effect, judging by his reluctance to be drawn on that specific point.
Scrutiny is intense on Ten Hag at the moment, so a couple more poor performances this week from his side could see Potter putting his media career on hold in the very near future.
