Ferguson to step down as Ten Hag faces mounting pressure

Manchester United’s legendary manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, is set to step down from his role as global ambassador, a position he has held since his retirement in 2013. Ferguson’s retirement comes amid growing scrutiny of current manager Erik ten Hag, whose position remains uncertain following Man United’s poor start to the season.

Ferguson, the club’s most successful manager, will conclude his multi-million-dollar contract at the end of the season, ending an era of continued representation for the club. Meanwhile, Ten Hag, the latest in a long line of Ferguson’s successors, remains in his role despite overseeing United’s worst start in the Premier League era, with only two league wins so far. Many had expected his tenure to be cut short heading into the recent international break.

Speculation over Ten Hag’s future intensified following a visit from co-owners Jim Ratcliffe and Joel Glazer earlier this month. While Ten Hag survived the meeting, the news of Ferguson’s exit has sparked backlash from fans and former players. United legend Eric Cantona expressed his disapproval on social media, stating, “Such a lack of respect. It’s totally scandalous.”

Ferguson’s exit is particularly surprising given his 28 major trophies with the club, including 13 Premier League titles and two UEFA Champions League wins. His departure was unexpected, especially during a period of intense scrutiny on Ten Hag. Even Ratcliffe, who purchased a 27.7% stake in the club for $1.3 billion earlier this year, refrained from publicly supporting the Dutch manager when asked about his future.

As Ten Hag prepares for Saturday’s game against Brentford, he will be seeking just his third league win of the season and United’s first victory since mid-September. With the team on a five-game winless streak, pressure on Ten Hag has only intensified.

However, the Dutch manager may have caught a break as Thomas Tuchel, who was rumoured to be a potential replacement, was unveiled as England’s new manager on Wednesday. Another possible candidate, Mauricio Pochettino, recently took the head coach position with the United States national team.