48 hours after the meeting in London, England ended, Manchester United leaders still left open the future of Erik ten Hag. They have not decided to sack the Dutch strategist but that does not mean they will not do it. This uncertainty has only made the rumors about Ten Hag appear more.
Regarding the club's operations, the leaders at Old Trafford still require everything to continue as normal. This is understood that whether Ten Hag is fired or not, there will be no major changes at Old Trafford. In fact, the meeting between the leaders of the "Red Devils" was not arranged before the match with FC Porto in the Europa League. It was scheduled long ago and if there was an incident with Ten Hag, it was just one of the issues discussed.
Ten Hag is currently quiet and taking a few days off with his family after the draw with Aston Villa. Before the break, the Dutch strategist said in a press conference at Villa Park that if the owners wanted to issue a dismissal notice, they should have a frank conversation with each other. Ten Hag also knows that he could be out of the job at any time but he needs to receive the information properly.
If the M.U bosses intend to fire Ten Hag but have not said so, this will make the 54-year-old coach feel uncomfortable. Last summer, the former Ajax captain fell into a similar situation when the team intended to fire him before the FA Cup final. After winning the silverware with a victory over Man City, Ten Hag was extended and was given a long-term plan by the board of directors. If at this time, the M.U leadership team fired Ten Hag and did not clearly announce it, it would be disrespectful.
There is something going on in parallel from INEOS, which is that they are still looking at other potential candidates to prepare for any eventuality. Sir Jim Ratcliffe's view is clear, Ten Hag or not, the team cannot be caught off guard. In fact, INEOS' preparation of a few contingency plans began before the FA Cup final and continues to this day.
One of the most well-documented examples of this is the interest in Thomas Tuchel. The Man United board have never confirmed or denied similar information provided by reputable newspapers such as the Manchester Evening News or The Athletic/New York Times.
Ten Hag certainly sees the club's problems, but whether or not he can improve them is another matter. During the FIFA Days in October, many of M.U's players will have to return to their national teams and there is a high risk of catching the "FIFA virus". If this happens, the upcoming matches of The Red Devils will be a disaster for Ten Hag. At that time, it will be difficult for him to maintain his composure as he does now.
