Sir Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of Manchester United, revealed that the decision to bring in several Dutch players was influenced by Erik ten Hag. Ten Hag lost his job as manager of Manchester United after being sacked last October. He was dismissed for failing to improve the performance of the Red Devils despite the club investing heavily in players he desired.
Apart from the poor performance under his leadership, Ten Hag was also criticized for his tendency to recruit Dutch players or those who have played in the Netherlands. Some of the names he brought in include Tyrell Malacia, Matthijs de Ligt, and Joshua Zirkzee. Additionally, Ten Hag also signed players who had previously played in the Eredivisie, both during his time at Ajax and other clubs, such as Andre Onana, Lisandro Martinez, Noussair Mazraoui, and Antony.
Recently, Sir Jim Ratcliffe revealed the reasons behind recruiting these players. Ratcliffe admitted that the decision to bring in players was a result of consultations with various parties. However, Ten Hag had the most significant influence as he was responsible for designing the team’s strategy.
“We had an issue with the coach, whether yes or no? So, did we involve the coach or not involve the coach? We did,” Ratcliffe told BBC Sport.
“He was involved in discussions, so he influenced… I mean, decisions about new players or purchases are not decisions of one person, right? It’s a group of people who influence that decision in one way or another.”
“So yes, he does have a voice, that’s why there are one or two Dutch players.”
In conclusion, the co-ownership team at Manchester United made strategic decisions with input from various stakeholders, where Erik ten Hag played a significant role in influencing the recruitment of Dutch players.
