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Afolabi Ezekiel - October 8, 2024
For the past few months, Man United fans have been asking themselves if Erik Ten Hag is the manager to move them forward.
This question flew around during the 2023/24 run-in when Bayern Munich confirmed that Thomas Tuchel will not continue at the club ahead of the 2024/25 season. Thomas Tuchel’s availability is a plus for United as he is one of the best managers without a job at the moment. It was a decisive moment for INEOS, the team in charge of the football sector at Man Utd ahead of the most important game for Man Utd last term – the Emirates FA Cup final.
In the aftermath of that game, a fixture in which United defeated City 2-1 to achieve Ten Hag’s greatest success as United’s manager, INEOS found themselves in a crossroads whether to back Erik Ten Hag or move on from him.
The Red Devils were not short of suitors with the club hierarchy meeting with several managers including Roberto De Zerbi and Thomas Tuchel. In the end, INEOS decided to back Erik Ten Hag, confirming their faith in his vision and mission for the club.
Fast forward to today, fans have aired their thoughts over Ten Hag’s squad, his questionable tactics, poor results, and inability to implement a playing style. These problems, coupled with the club’s worst-ever English Premier League finish last season and poor start this season, have spread a feeling among the fanbase that a managerial change is needed.
However, several names have been linked with Manchester United’s managerial position and one of the numerous names is Thomas Tuchel. Walk with me as I assess his candidacy, with the cons and pros of appointing him.
Thomas Tuchel is well known with his impressive managerial CV and looks like the most qualified candidate available to resume immediately if appointed.
Understanding the German tactician is very important for United and its fans who have fallen out with almost every manager who has been appointed by the club since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, bar Olé Gunnar Solksjær who stabilized the club’s situation for about three years before he was fired.
A lot of United fans have their doubts about the potential appointment of Thomas Tuchel with a few stating that “you are as good as your last job”, “he failed at Bayern Munich, can he succeed at United?”
Personally, fallout with the boards of his former clubs is casting shadows of doubt on my mind too. While all of these feelings and questions are valid, appointing the best candidate is important for the club too, whatever the baggage of stress it might come with.
Tuchel is a manager who blends modern innovation with unconventional methods into his training sessions to motivate and push his players beyond their limits. His ability to evolve sets him apart as a tactician.
Thomas Tuchel’s style is simple, making training sessions more challenging and stimulating than actual matches so that when game day arrives, the players are mentally conditioned to face pressure with ease. This style allows for a smoother, more natural transition from the rigors of training to still-life demands of the game.
One of Erik Ten Hag’s problems at United is his poor communication skills. A problem one of his former assistants, Benni McCarthy, also identified. In modern football, proper communication is very important. Top managers like Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, and Carlo Ancelotti have excelled with this skill, and their ability to build chemistry with players has contributed to their success. This is an aspect Erik Ten Hag has been struggling with at Man Utd.
Thomas Tuchel is a coach who thrives in this area, and his communication skills will be very important if he were to take over at Old Trafford. His ability to motivate his players has been praised throughout his career. An example of Tuchel’s communication strength is his relationship with Mason Mount, who was one of the team’s most important players at Chelsea.
Another aspect where Thomas Tuchel stands out as a top manager is tactics. Man Utd’s style of play under Erik Ten Hag has been heavily criticized by fans and players. His United team is easily broken down by opposition sides, and the demands placed on the players are complex and flawed. This approach has led to poor performances, making United a walk in the park for several teams.
In contrast, Thomas Tuchel’s teams are known for compatibility. Tuchel draws inspiration from football philosophers like Ralf Rangnick and Pep Guardiola, mixing high intensity and positional play into his style.
One of Thomas Tuchel’s strengths is his adaptability. He is not attached or obsessed with a particular system but always willing to adjust based on the strength of his squad and the quality of opponents.
In addition, Tuchel’s teams are associated with control. They know how to prevent the opposition from playing with their full strengths. His teams don’t soak the pressure but dominate possession, dictate the pace, and press intensively. This dominant approach is something United has sorely missed over the last few seasons.
In conclusion, the positives of appointing Tuchel outweigh the negatives. His tactical versatility, leadership style, and track record of success across multiple clubs make him an ideal candidate to turn things around at Old Trafford.
