Defiant Erik ten Hag has told Manchester United he will “go elsewhere to win trophies” if the club decide to sack him after winning the FA Cup.
United – who entered as outsiders 8-1 at Wembley – had their best performance of the season beat Manchester City 2-1 thanks to goals from teenagers Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo and denying the Premier League champions a historic double double.
Despite securing the second trophy of his reign – following last season’s Carabao Cup – to end a torrid, injury-plagued campaign on a high, Ten Hag remains at real risk of being fired by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos team.
But the Dutchman, who won three Eredivisie titles and two Dutch Cups with Ajax, warned United that he would only be successful at another club if they decided to swing the axe.
“Two trophies in two years is not bad, three finals in two years is not bad,” said the United manager. “We have to continue. I’m not satisfied with that, we have to do better and if they don’t want me anymore, I’ll go somewhere else to win trophies, because that’s what I’ve done my whole career.
“When I started here I said I’m here to win and I also want to build a team and both [of those things] I’m doing that, but if they don’t want me anymore, I’ll go somewhere else and, as I’ve done in my entire coaching career, I win games and trophies.”
Ten Hag, who is due to go on holiday on Sunday, added: “I don’t think about it [being sacked]. I’m on a project and we’re exactly where we want to be, we’re on the path to building a team for the future. I will go through ups and downs. When I took over we were in trouble at United.
“The team is developing, the team is winning and at the end of the day it is about winning trophies and the team also plays with an identity. But you need players to be available and a strong squad in top football, especially when playing in England and Europe.
“There is still a lot of work to do, but… we have value in the squad, high potential players are progressing very well, the team is progressing and we are winning trophies.”
Ratcliffe leaves Ten Hag out of celebration statement
Ratcliffe refused to answer when asked by a television reporter before leaving Wembley whether Ten Hag – who oversaw United’s worst league finish in 34 years with an eighth-place finish in the Premier League – would remain as manager.
The Ineos owner, who has full control of football operations at Old Trafford as part of his minority investment in the club, made no reference to Ten Hag in a statement hailing the victory.
Ratcliffe and Ten Hag shook hands after the Dutchman received his winner’s medal, although the billionaire had already enjoyed a much warmer embrace with City manager Pep Guardiola, whom he bent down to hug before whispering something into the heard of the Catalan.
“It’s a glorious feeling to win the FA Cup final at Wembley,” said Ratcliffe. “Manchester United were clearly not the favorites to win today, but they played with total commitment and skill and overcame one of the great teams in football. We are all very proud of the players and the staff who work tirelessly to support them.”
United’s hierarchy are expected to carry out a full review of the season next week. Asked if he was staying at the club, Ten Hag said: “I don’t know. I have no doubts [about myself] But, of course, it’s not up to me.
“This season is a mess, it’s true, but the reasons are there and, in the end, we win the next trophy. The potential is high, but it takes time.
“I want to play the best football, I want to play dynamic and attacking football. But you have to win games and win trophies. That’s the mentality we brought.”
Fernandes: We all deserve this
United held talks with representatives of several managers last week, including Kieran McKenna and Thomas Tuchel. Asked about this and whether he felt harmed, Ten Hag said: “I don’t know if they did this. I can’t answer this question. Maybe you have sources. I don’t have them.
When asked how he could say United were “exactly where they wanted to be” after finishing eighth in the league, Ten Hag replied: “When you do that [comment], I’m sorry to say this, you have no knowledge whatsoever about football and how to manage a football team. When you don’t have players available, you can’t perform. That simple. If that’s the opinion, no problem. Then I go somewhere else and continue winning trophies. When the players are not there I can’t coach them, I can’t train them and they can’t develop. We won’t get the results we want.”
Bruno Fernandes, the United captain, refused to question whether Ten Hag deserved to continue as manager. “It’s not up to me to decide, I’m just a football player.”
Asked what Ten Hag got right against City, Fernandes added: “Everything. He prepares well for every game. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. You could see it was about being compact and pressing between the lines.
“It’s crucial for everyone. We know the manager is under a lot of scrutiny, he deserves that, also everyone in the backroom staff and the players, we all deserve that.”
