Erik ten Hag hinted he would relish the appointment of a sporting director at Manchester United as one man “cannot do things alone” such is the workload at Old Trafford.
United have reportedly approached Newcastle United for permission to speak to Dan Ashworth, who holds a similar position at St James’ Park, with the 52-year-old thought to be keen on joining the new-look football operation under Jim Ratcliffe and Dave Brailsford.
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Ten Hag appears to have steadied the ship at United on the field with five wins in six games in all competitions but the Dutchman accepts he cannot control every facet of the playing side.
He said: “I am happy now with the current structure and when things change they will tell me. [But] at a club like Manchester United, you can’t do things alone, it’s impossible. You need people around you.”
Asked how he would potentially work alongside a sporting director, he said: “It’s very important you are on one page about football philosophies, strategies and what you need in a team.
“It’s important to have good communication to get the right players because the most important factor to developing a good team is to have good players with good characters.
“You have to do a lot of work, it’s a long process.
“I’ve worked in situations where I was alone in charge and sometimes I have had co-operation. I have dealt with several situations but it’s so specific, especially at the top, and so intense with the number of games. You need people around you who are on the same page, working on the same targets to achieve the highest ambitions.
A first-ever #PL visit to Kenilworth Road is coming up 🔜#MUFC pic.twitter.com/BWC6yBMCJs
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 15, 2024
“I don’t know anything about the changes, I have spoken to the new sporting organisation but it’s not up to me.”
With United performing well on the pitch, and Ratcliffe’s bid to purchase 25 per cent of the club approaching completion having received Premier League and Football Association approval this week, there is a positive mood at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag added: “Everything is aligned. We are a club, not an isolated department in the first team.
“You see and you feel the ambition. It brings a spirit that belongs to this club. The players and the staff are aligned with the ambitions of INEOS – that’s why we are here, we want to win.”
