Why there is silence on Ten Hag's Man Utd future

Manchester United held a monthly committee gathering successful cardinal London connected Tuesday which the BBC reported arsenic being important successful determining the contiguous aboriginal of United manager Erik 10 Hag.

The gathering lasted astir six hours, with footage of co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe arriving and leaving published by immoderate media.

After the large build-up, silence. We don't cognize the result due to the fact that no-one is saying.

Why?

First, the context.

Last summer, United took conscionable implicit 2 weeks from their FA Cup last win implicit Manchester City to corroborate Ten Hag would proceed successful his job, aft days of speculation earlier and aft the crippled that the Dutchman would beryllium sacked.

The BBC reported that United were considering different managers arsenic portion of that review.

When Ineos decided to stick with Ten Hag, they triggered the enactment for an further twelvemonth connected his contract, which present runs to 2026.

In addition, important elements of Ten Hag's backroom squad were changed, including the exits of adjunct manager Mitchell van der Gaag and manager Steve McClaren.

To adhd to the consciousness of change, successful July Dan Ashworth and Omar Berrada yet came disconnected respective periods of gardening permission to instrumentality up the sporting manager and main enforcement roles.

This created the structures which Ineos felt United had lacked anterior to Ratcliffe's portion acquisition of the club, which had been announced connected 24 December the erstwhile year.

After an eighth-place finish, the club's worst of the Premier League era, optimism was precocious astir Old Trafford astir a important improvement.

On 29 September, United were hammered 3-0 astatine location by Tottenham.

Questions began to beryllium posed again astir Ten Hag's tenure.

On 30 September, officials astatine United let it beryllium known that Ten Hag would stay successful his occupation for the forthcoming games against Porto and Aston Villa.

It was not stated the concern would beryllium reassessed aft those games, but that was an mentation immoderate made externally.

On Friday, erstwhile asked straight successful an on-camera interrogation with BBC Sports Editor Dan Roan whether helium "had faith" successful Ten Hag, Ratcliffe replied: "I don't privation to reply that question. I similar Erik. I deliberation he's a precise bully manager but astatine the extremity of the day, it's not my call, it's the absorption squad that's moving Manchester United that person to determine however champion we tally the squad successful galore antithetic respects.

"They've not been determination a agelong time, truthful they request to instrumentality banal and marque immoderate sensible decisions.

"Our nonsubjective is precise wide – we privation to instrumentality Manchester United backmost to wherever it should be, and it's not determination yet, evidently – that's precise clear."

Ratcliffe's words made headlines - but were besides interpreted by immoderate arsenic an denotation immoderate benignant of determination would beryllium reached aft the Villa game.

Ratcliffe, Berrada and Ashworth were portion of the United delegation astatine Villa Park, who were each pictured sat unneurotic - alongside erstwhile manager Sir Alex Ferguson - astatine the apical of the main basal for the 0-0 draw, which dropped United to 14th successful the Premier League.

Eight points from their opening 7 games is United's worst instrumentality since the 1989-90 campaign.

So, aft a week featuring 2 draws successful precise antithetic styles - a chaotic 3-3 successful Porto and a dour 0-0 astatine Villa - I asked Ten Hag 2 questions successful his post-match quality conference, firstly astir the outer sound and secondly if helium felt the owners were inactive down him.

"Simon, you said it precise good, outer noise," helium replied. "Internally we are disappointed and we cognize we person to bash better.”

And connected enactment from the ownership: "I don't person immoderate thought it is antithetic due to the fact that they should person told me. We pass precise unfastened and precise transparent."

By Monday, immoderate benignant of clarification was expected from the club, which didn't come.

Ratcliffe and co-chairman Joel Glazer were pictured going into Old Trafford. Glazer, it transpired, was attending a gathering of the club's Fan's Advisory Board.

Club officials did pass it was apt the show of the squad would beryllium discussed astatine the committee gathering successful London the pursuing day. Attendees were captured arriving and leaving but since then, nothing.

Those astatine United whose work it is to pass messaging person questioned wherefore they should connection guidance astir a committee gathering erstwhile they ne'er bash astatine immoderate different point.

As acold arsenic authoritative statements go, determination has been nothing.

I approached United main enforcement Jean-Claude Blanc for a remark astatine the European Clubs' Association gathering successful Athens helium is attending connected his club's behalf. He politely declined.

For now, Ten Hag remains successful his occupation and helium is having a fewer days distant from the nine arsenic is customary during an planetary break. So unless the concern changes, helium volition instrumentality to statesman preparations for the Premier League crippled with Brentford astatine Old Trafford connected 19 October.