Erik ten Hag Sets Two New Targets After Extending Manchester United Stay Until 2026

Manchester United fans have a reason to be excited as their head coach, Erik ten Hag, has extended his contract until 2026. This extension shows the club’s faith in his leadership and trust in what he plans to do. 

With his future at the club now confirmed, the Dutchman has set his sights on two major targets: winning the Premier League and the Uefa Champions League.

Erik ten Hag, who joined Manchester United in 2022, was the manager of Ajax,  the most successful team in the Netherlands. At Ajax, he was popular for his successful tactics and ability to develop young players not forgetting his penchant for winning trophies. 

This reputation made him an attractive choice for Manchester United, a sleeping giant looking to rebuild and return to its glory days.

In his first two years at United, Ten Hag has made significant progress. The team has won two trophies and has shown slight improvement in their general gameplay. However, the journey is far from finished, and Ten Hag is determined to take the team even further.

Manchester United fans are hopeful that their beloved club can find their way back to the very top of English football under Erik Ten Hag. The Dutchman has extended his stay at Old Trafford for another two years. 

The fans can continue to support the Dutchman by cheering from the stands, but to do that, they will need to purchase Manchester United tickets ahead of next season.

Why INEOS Decided to Extend His Contract

The decision to extend Ten Hag’s contract came after an internal review at the end of the season. The owners (INEOS) were impressed with the progress the team made under his guidance. They believe that with more time, the 54-year-old can even do better, but it is also like a last opportunity for Ten Hag to take the team forward. For him to do that he has had to set two targets for himself and the team.

 Firstly, the Dutchman has had to commit to winning the league. For Manchester United, winning the Premier League would mean reclaiming their position as one of the top teams in England. They haven’t won the league since the 2012-2013 season, so this is a major objective for Ten Hag.

Manchester United have already started making moves to improve the team. They have signed promising young players and are looking to add more experienced stars to the roster. The goal is to build a balanced team with a mix of youth and experience. The club is already linked to some young players like; Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee.

Ten Hag is known for his inclination towards ‘total football’. He likes his teams to play attractive, attacking football while also being solid defensively. 

For Manchester United to win the Premier League, they will need to consistently outplay their opponents, both offensively and defensively. Ten Hag will continue to work on ways that will exploit the strengths of his players while still looking to cover the flaws of his players. He also aims to win the Uefa Champions League.

The Uefa champions League is the prestigious club competition in European football. Winning it would be a huge achievement for Manchester United and would upgrade their status to one of the best teams in Europe. This is an ambitious target because it will mean competing against the biggest and best clubs from all across the continent.

To win the Champions League will require that a team consistently performs well under immense pressure. Ten Hag will work on developing a winning mentality within the squad, ensuring that the players are mentally strong and can handle high-stakes matches. 

In times past, Manchester United has been criticized for having a weak mentality and has been known for giving up sometimes in crucial games.

European football can be punishing as Ten Hag found out last season

In European football, teams often play with different styles and use different tactics, and the level of competition is quite high. Ten Hag’s experience with Ajax, where he led the team to the Uefa Champions League semi-finals, gives him the knowledge needed to navigate some of these difficulties but he is at Manchester United now, and the circumstances may have changed. 

He will need to subsequently adjust his tactics to face different opponents, making sure Manchester United can always cope against any of their opponents in the European front.

In Europe, every single match matters. Ten Hag will also need to ensure that Manchester United is prepared for each game, analyzing opponents’ strengths and flaws and planning accordingly. Last season, his team was knocked out in the group stages, due to comical defensive errors and poor finishing in the attack. 

The Champions League can also be very intense. A team will have to play matches spread across various countries and different time zones. 

Ten Hag will need to manage his squad carefully, giving playing time to different players to keep everyone fresh and ready. He will therefore need a quality bench, where even the backup players are prepared to step in and perform at a high level.

Conclusion 

Erik Ten Hag was certain to lose his job before the FA Cup final against Manchester City, but somehow, his boys turned up for him. The likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho scored to stun the Cityzens and give Man UTD their 13th FA Cup title and most notably – Ten Hag’s second title in England.

Though INEOS conducted an internal review and re-interviewed a couple of managers to be able to finally settle for Ten Hag, their trust is reportedly, not fully with the manager. He may just be under probation.

Now that the 54-year-old has the backing from the fans and the vote of confidence of the new owners, he must do all he can to prove the haters wrong and ensure that the great Manchester United returns to the very top – where it truly belongs.

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