Erik ten Hag has plenty going for him at Manchester United, but this might just be the best thing he’s doing right now.
It’s going to be a huge final eight weeks of the season for Erik ten Hag in which he’ll be desperate to show the decision-makers that he should be the manager next season.
There are plenty of reasons for the Dutchman to be confident of doing so, with his 4-3 win over Liverpool being a massive moment.
Along with this season-defining win, the strong form we’ve seen in 2024 could bring an FA Cup Final with it, while Champions League qualification also remains a possibility.
However, HITC Football’s Graeme Bailey has now explained that it is something else which has left Sir Jim Ratcliffe impressed by the Dutchman, much to his benefit.
What Sir Jim Ratcliffe really likes about Erik ten Hag
With his future at Old Trafford still far from guaranteed, Ten Hag will be delighted by anything he’s doing which could impress Ratcliffe. Now Graeme Bailey has explained that the United boss’ willingness to play his talented youth prospects is something which puts him in good stead with the new part-owner.
“Ten Hag has got a real feather in his cap at the moment because these young players love playing for him, they love the way he works. So I think that’s a real plus for him, I know Ratcliffe really appreciates the way Ten Hag is using the young players.”
During this campaign, Ten Hag hasn’t just used the youth but they’ve been arguably his best players. Hiring a manager from Ajax it was always likely he’d begin to turn to the academy, and to his luck, Carrington is a gold mine for talent right now.
This tactic shows no signs of ending, with several players coming through the academy tipped as having first-team potential.
Ten Hag’s Manchester United youngsters are his most important players
Kobbie Mainoo, Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo have all proven their worth this season to varying degrees and seem to be loving life under Ten Hag.
As so often is the case with great United sides, Ten Hag has made the youngsters the pivotal members of his team to the point that we couldn’t imagine Mainoo or Garnacho not in the strongest line-up for the club.
With these names all established, Ten Hag will no doubt be looking to bring a new name into the fold at some point, and with several impressive players coming through the ranks, he will be spoilt for choice.