As reported by mirror football Erik ten Hag was seen leaving his home and returning to the Netherlands after being sacked as Manchester United manager. The decision came following a disappointing 2-1 loss to West Ham, which left United in 14th place in the Premier League. The defeat marked their fourth loss in nine league games this season, with United struggling particularly in away matches.
Ten Hag's tenure at Old Trafford, which began with high hopes, lasted under two and a half years. His efforts to bring stability and success to United yielded mixed results, and despite securing a domestic cup during his time, the club's performance in the league and Europe fell short of expectations. His final game saw United miss multiple scoring opportunities before West Ham capitalized to secure victory.
In an interesting move, Ten Hag was seen attempting to avoid attention, hiding behind the passenger seat as he departed. He is set to return to the Netherlands, where he previously managed Ajax before taking on the United role in 2022.
Following his departure, United announced that former player Ruud van Nistelrooy will serve as interim manager. Van Nistelrooy's first test will be Wednesday's Carabao Cup match against Leicester City. Meanwhile, speculation has begun on who will take over as United's next permanent manager. Xavi Hernandez, Gareth Southgate, and Thomas Frank are among the possible candidates, with van Nistelrooy also a contender for the permanent position if his interim stint is successful.
Ten Hag leaves with some frustration, noting issues with refereeing decisions that he felt impacted United's season. In what would be his final press conference, he voiced concern over VAR decisions that he believed unfairly affected his team's results, mentioning controversial calls against teams like Tottenham and West Ham. As he moves on from United, Ten Hag's next steps in his managerial career remain to be seen.
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