By Sean Walsh
Erik ten Hag received significant boardroom support from Sir Dave Brailsford leading to Manchester United's decision not to sack him, according to a report.
United finished their end-of-season review on Tuesday, during which they came to the conclusion that Ten Hag would not be removed from his position as manager.
However, this came at the end of a long deliberating process which lasted for two-and-a-half weeks after the Red Devils beat rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Several reports claim United held talks with various potential successors for Ten Hag in case they decided to part ways, while some even went as far as to saying the Dutchman would be sacked regardless of the outcome against City.
The Times now report that Brailsford, INEOS' director of sport, was 'the man most keen to keep Ten Hag'. The 60-year-old is now a key member of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's United setup having been a long-term ally of his.
United's main reasons for keeping Ten Hag have come down to the extensive injury list he had to deal with last season disrupting his side's form, as well as his impressive record of developing young talent and ultimately winning the FA Cup.
There were also issues with trying to find a replacement for Ten Hag. Though they are believed to have taken meetings with the likes of Thomas Tuchel, Thomas Frank, Roberto De Zerbi, Kieran McKenna and Mauricio Pochettino, such talks did not reach particularly advanced stages.
Another of the managers United lined up was also shocked by the low wage on offer as well as the club's relatively small summer transfer budget. These coaches were also left in the dark about updates regarding the job, much to their annoyance.
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This article was originally published on 90min.com as Erik ten Hag's main ally in Man Utd sack saga revealed - report.
