“He was a dead man walking” – Shearer on Erik Ten Hag sacking

Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker provided their thoughts on Manchester United’s sacking of Erik Ten Hag in the wake of a 2-1 loss to West Ham at the London Stadium on Sunday, and the former Newcastle star suggested that Ten Hag was a ‘dead man walking’ before being sacked.

The two English legends discussed extensively the breaking news on Monday morning on their podcast The Rest Is Football. Leading the conversation, the BBC Match Of The Day host said “It’s been a kind of ongoing saga, hasn’t it, which sort of started in the summer just before the FA Cup final when I think we got wind of the fact that Manchester United was sounding out other coaches. And we had the experience, didn’t we at the Cup final where it kind of had a little bit of go at.

Gary Lineker continued, “And then they seem to go for Thomas Tuchel, but he didn’t take the job, and then they subsequently went back to Ten Hag. So I suppose there was a degree kind of eventuality about this.”

Alan Shearer thought the Club and Ten Hag weren’t on the same page even though the Dutchman had publicly claimed he and his now previous employers were on the same page. Shearer remarked “I think we were just waiting for this to happen. Even the way he was talking you know, that we’re all on the same page, and we all, all of that.

“Well, they weren’t on the same page because they, we, everyone knew that they were talking to managers in the summer. So if they’re on the same page, why on earth were they speaking to managers in the summer? So as soon as that came out we all said he was a dead man walking, unfortunately.

Shearer also thought that it was bizarre for the Club to offer Ten Hag a new contract, back him with £200m, and then sack him four months afterward. Ten Hag sacking after all these was quite strange.

Speaking on the podcast also was former Manchester City defender Micah Richards who felt unsatisfied and displeased with Ten Hag’s demeanor and body language during his post-match interviews. “I think what’s damning for me is when he does his interviews after the games, and we try to analyze them, pick up certain bits and pieces of how the game has gone. And he would come out in his interviews afterward and basically say they’ve played really well. And we’re all scratching our heads thinking in what department?”

“I think Man United, and we keep saying this, are a massive Club with huge pressure. But for them to not have identity in two and half years is not good enough. No matter if it was Ten Hag, Solskjaer, Mourinho, or whatnot. to be 13th, 14th in the league is not good enough. This has led to the sacking of all these managers before him.

Gary Lineker questioned if a win against West Ham yesterday would have kept Ten Hag in the job for at least another match week. He did not believe Ten Hag ‘s sacking was based on the loss yesterday but there was a lack of evident improvement in the team despite the manager being backed on request.

“I doubt this decision comes down to just one game, but probably just, you know, if they had won it, it probably lasted another, until the next bad game and it’s gonna happen. It’s not like he’s not been backed.

“I’ve got a list of the actual signings [under Ten Hag] here. And it’s quite something. Urgate, £50m, De Ligt £45m, Mazraoui £15m, Leni Yoro £62m, Zirkzee £42.5m, Amrabat [loan] £9m, Bayindir £5m, Hujlund £73m, Onana £50m, Mason Mount £64m, Anthony £95m, Casemiro £70m, Martinez £57m, Malacia £15m. I could go on. There are a few more. I mean that’s a hell of a lot of money.”

“And it’s all not gone quite well at all. I mean his arguments would be ‘ I’ve won trophies. And he has. He’s won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup. But I think we, as people in the game, we judge, I think you’ve got to judge managers on their lead position generally. I mean yes, you give them credit for winning a cup competition.

“It’s not easy, but the league competition is where you actually judge them against other clubs. And you know it’s obviously not been strong enough.”

Richards also questioned some of Ten Hag’s tactics suggesting the players may not be too keen or interested in them. “I think sometimes with the tactics, some of the players looked a little bit bemused if I’m being honest, they don’t know what the message is. And some of the body language with the players, and I don’t mean body language in terms of bad body language, but just not on the front foot, ready to go, ready to engage, switched on, set pieces. Everything is just a walk.

“There’s no enthusiasm with the players at this moment. And sometimes you know that’s when the manager is at the end of his tenure when you see that with players. It’s almost like it needs a freshen-up now.”

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