Man Utd: Ratcliffe’s Ten Hag decision ‘surprises’ Neville as Keane delivers sack warning

Gary Neville has admitted that he was “surprised” Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe gave head coach Erik ten Hag a new contract.

Ten Hag was under pressure for most of the 2023/24 campaign as Man Utd struggled en route to finishing eighth in the Premier League.

Man Utd ‘s season ended on a high as they beat arch-rivals Man City at Wembley to win the FA Cup, but Ten Hag was still expected to be replaced in the summer.

Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Gareth Southgate and Kieran McKenna were mooted as potential replacements, but co-owner Ratcliffe and his recruitment team eventually opted to stand by Ten Hag, who has extended his contract until 2026.

Some have argued that Ten Hag is at risk of being sacked during the early stages of the 2024/25 campaign if Man Utd have a poor start to the season and his recent contract extension “surprised” Neville.

“[On Erik ten Hag signing a contract extension] I was a bit surprised because the thought was that they were contemplating whether he was going to stay or not, to then offer him a new contract,” Neville said during his latest appearance on Stick to Football.

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Roy Keane added: “[Ten Hag] only had one year left on his contract and they didn’t want the uncertainty going into the new season.

“The clauses will still be the same and it’s not to mean that they won’t get rid of him in October or November, it’s just a message to give him a backing.”

Keane also thinks Man Utd’s FA Cup win gave Ten Hag “some breathing space”, but he won’t last much longer if they are out of the Champions League picture again next season.

“The cup game gave him [Erik ten Hag] some breathing space and rightly so, but he can’t be finishing eighth next year,” Keane said.

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“They [Manchester United] have to be competing next year in the top four, it’s going to be hard to win but it’s about competing, the records they’ve created the last twelve months in the league, it’s so poor.”

Commenting on the appointment of Dan Ashworth as Man Utd’s sporting director, Neville expects the former Newcastle chief to “make reasoned decisions”.

“Dan Ashworth is starting, the new CEO is starting, and Jason Wilcox is starting [at Manchester United this season]. I don’t know the CEO or Jason, but I know Dan pretty well when he was at the FA because he was looking after the England set up,” Neville added.

“He’s done a good job wherever he’s been, Dan Ashworth, and one thing he is, is stable and he’ll make reasoned decisions – we won’t be bringing in Antony and Casemiro in the last week of the transfer window for £160m.

“If it wasn’t in the plan, it will not happen, he will stick to the plan and he’s done that with England, West Brom, Newcastle – he’s been measured.”