Exclusive: Ex-Man United chief shares real reason Erik ten Hag was sacked

Erik ten Hag’s failed transfer strategy played a key role in his sacking at Man United, according to the club’s former chief scout.

Mick Brown, who also spent time as Sir Alex Ferguson’s number two and remains very well-connected at Old Trafford, exclusively told Football Insider that the number of failed signings under Ten Hag’s watch had become “inexcusable”.

Man United confirmed via an official statement on 28 October that the manager had been relieved of his duties as manager following a 2-1 defeat to West Ham.

With the club sitting 14th in the Premier League and having picked up just three wins in their opening nine league games, his position became untenable.

However, Brown has insisted that the players have played an equally big part in the team’s struggles, with Ten Hag’s signings singled out for criticism.

The likes of Antony, Matthijs de Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee, Tyrell Malacia, Andre Onana and more were all signed on the word of the manager and have largely struggled to make an impact.

As a result, there was a failure to turn around results on the pitch despite extensive backing, which piled the pressure onto his position.

Failed Man United transfers led to Erik ten Hag sack decision

Brown echoed the words of United legend Ron Atkinson, who had previously told him that it is inexcusable for players with whom the manager has already worked to come in and fail.

The former chief scout, who has a wealth of experience in player recruitment and spent over a decade at United during their most successful period, insisted that the failures in the transfer market played a key role in Ten Hag’s dismissal.

“His signings played a big part in it too, make no mistake,” he told Football Insider.

“Ron Atkinson said to me once: ‘Anybody can make a bad signing, it happens, but not when it’s a player you’ve worked with before.’

“Ten Hag supposedly knew these players, and still couldn’t get a tune out of them.

“Signings like Antony for example – what he saw in him to make him spend £86million, I’ll never know.

“These are players who supposedly knew how he wanted to play and would make an impact.

“Well, so far, I haven’t seen that from any of them bar the odd performance.

“So to insist on bringing in so many of your former players, and for so many of them to fail in the way they have, is inexcusable.

“He was sacked because the results haven’t been good enough, but the complete failure in the transfer market had a huge impact.”

In other news, Ruud van Nistelrooy ‘interested’ in permanent Man United manager’s job.

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The post Exclusive: Ex-Man United chief shares real reason Erik ten Hag was sacked appeared first on Football Insider.