Erik ten Hag has refused to reveal whether he has spoken to Sir Jim Ratcliffe about a new Manchester United contract.
But the Dutchman has admitted that he now has to prove himself to the club’s new co-owner following Ratcliffe’s coup in convincing Omar Berrada to quit Manchester City to become chief executive at Old Trafford. Berrada will have his ideas on what needs to be done to resurrect United’s fortunes – and by the time he takes up his role in the summer, Ten Hag will only have 12 months left on his current deal.
Ten Hag insists initial talks with Ratcliffe and his INEOS group have been productive. But when asked whether a timetable has been laid down to hammer out a contract extension, the United boss said: “We speak about many subjects but I can’t go into detail, especially when it is so personal.
“First, the most important thing is the club. It’s about the club, about the team and how we have to work to high standards to achieve our targets. It’s not about any individual person. When you’re involved in top level football, I think you know that you have to prove yourself every day – and that counts for everyone who is working for this club.
“We have to look to ourselves and keep working and reconstructing this club. We know we need to be better. Last season we were over-performing. In the summer we were in a very good place, nobody could expect what we achieved last season. Now we have had a downfall and we have to stop this – but I think it belongs to the project.”
United are eighth in the Premier League table, 11 points off fourth-placed Aston Villa, and have been eliminated from Europe and the Carabao Cup. Ten Hag takes his team to League Two Newport County for a fourth-round FA Cup clash that he cannot afford to lose.
Eight years ago, Louis van Gaal lifted the Cup at Wembley after finishing fifth and failing to qualify for the Champions League only because of Manchester City’s superior goal difference. The Dutchman was sacked before the celebratory champagne had gone flat.
But Ten Hag won the Carabao Cup and finished third in his first season since arriving from Ajax. There is an acceptance at Old Trafford that the manager performed ahead of expectations during his debut campaign and has been unfortunate with a succession of injuries to key players.
The season has also been played against a backdrop of an investment offer which has seen Ratcliffe take charge of football affairs after paying £1.3billion for a 25 percent stake in the club. Ten Hag needs to demonstrate in the coming months that he has what it takes to lead the club forward.
Ten Hag said: “Sometimes when you have the downfall, you have to turn it around – and we now have to work for that. I also agree that’s so important you have a foundation. But I think at Manchester United you have to win trophies at the end of the day.
“Of course, the Champions League is the most important with the Premier League, but then every trophy, every competition which you take part in, you have to win. That should be the mentality in this club. But at this moment, you think about the next game and be 100 percent focussed on that. We shouldn’t be dreaming about winning the FA Cup at this moment.”
