Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has shirked responsibility regarding the future of Erik ten Hag as “it’s not his call” whether he’s sacked.
At the start of this year, Ratcliffe purchased a minority stake in the Premier League giants. As part of this deal, he has taken control of footballing matters at Old Trafford.
The INEOS chief has made huge changes at Man Utd in recent months. He has overhauled their recruitment team as sporting director Dan Ashworth, chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox have been recruited.
Ratcliffe and co. were expected to replace Ten Hag in the summer as the Dutchman was under immense pressure as Man Utd struggled en route to finishing eighth in the Premier League.
Ten Hag kept his job after Man Utd beat Man City at Wembley to win the FA Cup, but he is on the brink as his side have lost three of their opening six Premier League games.
The United boss is the favourite to be the first Premier League manager sacked this season and Sunday’s match against Aston Villa could be his last dance.
On Friday, Ratcliffe was asked whether he has faith in Ten Hag and he revealed it’s “not his call” whether the Dutchman keeps his job.
“I don’t want to answer that question…I like Erik. I think he’s a very good coach but at the end of the day it’s not my call, it’s the management team that’s running Manchester United that have to decide how we best run the team in many different respects,” Ratcliffe said in an interview with BBC Sport.
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“But that team that’s running Manchester United has only been together since June or July. They weren’t there in January, February, March or April – [CEO] Omar [Berrada], [Sporting Director] Dan Ashworth – they only arrived in July.
“They’ve only been there…you can count it in weeks almost – they’ve not been there a long time so they need to take stock and make some sensible decisions.
“Our objective is very clear – we want to take Manchester United back to where it should be, and it’s not there yet, obviously – that’s very clear.”
Ahead of United’s trip to face Aston Villa, Ten Hag remained insistent that he has the support of the board as they are “in there together”.
“I’m not thinking about such issues because that is not a topic,” Ten Hag said.
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“We are in there together – the ownership, the leadership team, the staff. I appointed a new staff, we bought, again, new young players and we have to integrate them.
“Like we just talked about Manuel Ugarte, the six position was absolutely one of the topics we want to sign for the season but he needs time to integrate.
“And I know in top football you don’t get time, they have to perform immediately, but it’s not always realistic.
“He has to get used to our game model, he has to get used to his team-mates, he has to get used to the intensity of the Premier League, so it needs time.
“We have more positions where we need time, where I was very pleased with the return of Rasmus Hojlund.
“I think he had a good return, but we didn’t and we couldn’t play him in the first two months of the season.
“Hopefully he’s now fit, he keeps improving in his fitness levels, and that he also has a consistent, fit season. That will help us.
“There are some more areas where we will improve, definitely, and then this team can grow and improve. Then we will see where we will end in the end of the season.”
