ERIK TEN HAG is ready to play hardball over new contract negotiations after his public humiliation.
Manchester United have decided to stick with the Dutchman as manager having failed to find another suitable candidate.
Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino pulled out of the running, while Gareth Southgate being with England at the Euros sidelined talks with him.
It left the club announcing Ten Hag “deserves a chance to show what more he is capable of”.
But the boss is not merely grateful to get more time and will lay down the rules for how things will go forward.
He will not cede control of transfers, which the new set-up wanted to take out of his hands.
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The 54-year-old is not prepared to be dictated to by Jason Wilcox as to how the team should play — after the new technical director was credited with suggesting he start Bruno Fernandes as a false nine in the FA Cup final win.
And Ten Hag will not allow Jadon Sancho back into the first team squad unless the player apologises for labelling him a liar last term.
The boss also wants his first-team coach Benni McCarthy given a new contract with his current deal set to expire.
Ten Hag wants these assurances before he puts pen to paper on a new three-year deal with just one left on his current contract.
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Erik ten Hag is no safer now than before FA Cup win
By Neil Custis
After Manchester United announced Erik ten Hag was staying on, they tried to explain why it has taken over two weeks since the Dutchman paraded the FA Cup at Wembley to actually tell him he still had the job.
A thorough review of the season was needed even though Ten Hag said before the Cup final that this had been done.
The club said that they had ‘considered all eventualities’.
In other words ‘which manager would be best for us, and not necessarily the bloke we have got?’.
And the club were also at pains to make it clear how much they admired Ten Hag’s ‘dedication, dignity and professionalism’.
In other words he did not publicly flip his lid at the appalling way he was being treated despite asking Ratcliffe for a public vote of confidence months before the end of the season.
Let us remember Ratcliffe did not even namecheck Ten Hag in his ‘congratulations message’ after the FA Cup was won, despite the fact it was all down to him and the way he outthought Pep Guardiola on the day.
Read the full column from Neil Custis on Manchester United.
He remains angry and frustrated at his treatment and the lack of public support since Ratcliffe’s arrival.
Ten Hag faced the sack before shocking Manchester City in the FA Cup final to prompt a wave of support from United fans to keep him on, despite an all-time club worst Premier League finish of eighth.
After learning he will stay at Old Trafford, Ten Hag said he wants to take the “next step” on their pre-season tour.
The Red Devils face Rosenborg in Norway on July 15 and Rangers at Murrayfield five days later.
They then head to the US to face Arsenal, Real Betis and Liverpool.
Ten Hag said: “Pre-season is for preparing and we have to make that our next step.
“It is one of the only times you have the team together and can work on structures and on standards.
“We’ll be as strong as possible but, of course, the players who go far in the Copa America and the Euros will not be involved.”
Nine managers Man Utd considered before keeping Erik ten Hag
ERIK TEN HAG appears to be safe as Man Utd manager, but the Dutchman edged dangerously close to the sack.
Here are nine managers Red Devils chiefs are reported to have considered for the job and what allegedly happened with each.
Gareth Southgate
Enjoys plenty of support among Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos chiefs but made clear he wouldn’t talk to any clubs until after Euro 2024. There is yet to be any suggestion that contact was made with the England boss.
Kieran McKenna
Talks were opened with McKenna’s representatives before the FA Cup final, but the former Man Utd coach opted to sign a new deal with Ipswich after Ten Hag’s Wembley win.
Roberto De Zerbi
Allegedly sounded out before the FA Cup final with salary expectations discussed. But Ineos chiefs concluded ex-Brighton boss was not the right fit for the project.
Thomas Frank
Brentford boss met Man Utd representatives the day before the FA Cup final. The Dane also dined with Ratcliffe, Roy Hodgson and Frank Lampard at the launch of a new Ineos car in February.
Marco Silva
Fulham boss reportedly met Man Utd representatives face-to-face two days before the FA Cup final, around the same time as Ten Hag was conducting his press conference.
Mauricio Pochettino
Fell out of Man Utd’s thinking in the first week of June, despite being a favourite of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Thomas Tuchel
Made a very strong impression and came across well during a Monaco meeting. Personal terms were discussed before the ex-Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss decided to step back from the process.
Ruben Amorim
Sporting boss was discussed by the Man Utd hierarchy but did not make the final reckoning.
Roberto Martinez
Portugal manager was considered in the early stages.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
