Michael Owen demands Man Utd sack Ten Hag and put Steve McClaren in charge as Scholes calls him ‘best coach I ever had’
MICHAEL OWEN has demanded that Manchester United sack Erik ten Hag.
The Dutchman’s side were embarrassed by Crystal Palace 4-0 last night, and the retired strike believes the manager’s time is up.
Michael Olise stole the show with a brace while goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell completed the rout.
Owen, 44, watched on alongside Paul Scholes and is convinced that Manchester United need to pull the trigger now.
He claimed that the club faces not winning a single match before the end of the season which could see them miss out on a cup and playing in Europe next campaign.
He said: “I’ve said for a long time that Ten Hag is just not the right man for this job. I’ve been saying it for ages. He cannot, simply, cannot manage the team next season.
“They have a cup final and they have a few important games that could mean European football next year or not. And at some point, you have to make a decision.
“They are going to get absolutely hammered by Manchester City. They are going to get annihilated. In fact, Arsenal will smash them to bits at Old Trafford.
“Newcastle will probably beat them and I wouldn’t even fancy them going to Brighton. They might not get anything else out of the rest of the season if they are playing like that.
“I just wonder with so much at stake, even though it’s only for four games, I wonder if the board have to try and do something here and now and be quite radical about it.
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“He cannot manage this team next season. He’s not good enough. I’ve thought it for ages, he’s just not good enough to manage Manchester United.”
Scholes agreed with Owen’s sentiments and admitted that the feeling he got after the defeat to Palace was similar to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer‘s final match as manager.
The Norwegian was axed by the club following a 4-1 defeat to Watford back in 2021.
Scholes added: “The signs have been there that it will be difficult for him to do it next year. Tonight almost felt like a final nail in the coffin. Really.
“There was a lack of know-how from the team. A lack of effort which is the big disappointing thing.
“Going to a team like Crystal Palace, don’t get me wrong, they are a good team who are doing well but whatever situation United are in, they shouldn’t be going there and losing 4-0.
“It just felt like the end. If it is the end, I’m not sure. What do they do? What’s out there at the minute?
“I’ve always felt for a while that he might get another year and work for a club that is getting steady and calmed down by the new owners. But it just doesn’t feel like it now.
McClaren's record compared to Ten Hag
STEVE MCCLAREN has been in football coaching a lot longer than Erik ten Hag. Here is how their records compare...
Steve McClaren
- Teams managed – 9
- Games – 671
- Wins – 301
- Draws – 152
- Loses – 218
- Points per game – 1.57
- Win percentage – 44.8%
Erik ten Hag
- Clubs managed – 5
- Games – 547
- Wins – 347
- Draws – 87
- Loses – 113
- Points per game – 2.06
- Win percentage – 63.4%
“Who is there to replace him? Who is out there? There wasn’t really anybody. But with Thomas Tuchel saying he is leaving Bayern Munich, it doesn’t create a bigger problem for him because the problems are there anyway.
“It’s quite plain to see that it feels like borrowed time.
“Watching that performance, sometimes you get a performance where you think, “this is the end.” That almost felt like it.
“I remember Ole Gunnar at Watford away, 4-1. It felt very similar to me. It felt like the end.
“What do they do for the last four games? They have got a big cup final. You can’t see where a win is coming from. I look at the fixtures and even before tonight, you can’t see a win. It looks like the fight has gone out of them.”
The pair pointed to first-team coach Steve McClaren as a potential replacement until the end of the season.
They insisted that he is currently not having an influence on the side and that it would be better if the former England boss had a bigger input.
Owen said: “We’ve played under Steve. He’s coached us. There’s no way his fingerprints are anywhere near that team. He’s a brilliant coach. And that team is not being coached at all. No way.
“There is no way on earth that he has anything to do with coaching that team. It’s impossible.
“Because that team is absolutely clueless right the way through it. There’s not one thing where I think that works in that team.
“I don’t rate anything about it. Anything. And Steve McClaren is a top operator. I can only think there’s other people coaching the first team and he’s a bystander.”
While Scholes added: “He is not touching that team.
“The manager must not be letting him touch that team because everyone thinks we were a great team that attacked everybody but sometimes we played better teams and Steve McClaren put sessions on to make sure you stopped other teams.
“Getting distances and angles right, especially across midfield.
“He has got no impression on that team. He’s the best coach I ever had.”
Pundits' verdict on Ten Hag's future
Where do the pundits stand on Erik ten Hag's Manchester United future?
Michael Owen – He has to go
“He cannot, simply cannot, manage this team next season. He’s not good enough.”
Teddy Sheringham – Might stay if he wins Cup but should go
“If United win the FA Cup, he could stay. But, for me, changes are needed and United need to get it done sooner than later.”
Jamie Carragher – Sacked
“I don’t see how Erik ten Hag stays. It’s just performance after performance.”
Gary Neville – Stay if he wins the FA Cup
“To sack a manager who’s won two trophies in his first two seasons at the club I think would be extreme.”
Louis Saha – On the fence
“I don’t see it as clearly but they need changes from the players but they need changes from him as well.”
Alan Shearer – Sacked
“I believe the future of the Man Utd manager is already determined. Even if they win the FA Cup I think he’s gone.”