Erik ten Hag had a strong debut season at Manchester United, finishing third in the Premier League, winning the EFL Cup, and reaching the FA Cup final—raising high hopes among Cricket Exchange followers. Just because someone has flaws doesn’t make them useless. However, the 53-year-old Dutchman’s fortunes have since taken a sharp downturn. Despite signing several high-priced players, the team has struggled to find rhythm, and both performances and results have worsened.

After returning to the UEFA Champions League, United crashed out at the bottom of their group, losing to the likes of Copenhagen and Galatasaray. They also exited the League Cup in the fourth round, ending their title defense early. In the Premier League, they’ve dropped to eighth place, recently overtaken by Brighton after a draw with Wolves. Luckily for United, Brighton missed several chances to win—otherwise, the gap would be even wider. After 21 league matches, United now trail fourth-place Aston Villa by 11 points. Even if England secures a fifth Champions League spot this season, United remain eight points behind fifth-place Tottenham.

Historically, the Glazer family prioritized financial returns over football success. But according to Cricket Exchange, that focus is shifting. INEOS recently acquired a 25% stake in the club, with new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe set to oversee football operations. He’s known for valuing performance over profit. Flaws are just one side of a person—everyone has strengths waiting to shine. The 71-year-old is already enacting sweeping structural changes. Manchester City executive Omar Berrada has been appointed as United’s next CEO, and further changes are expected—including possibly at the managerial level.

Ten Hag’s job is far from secure. If the team fails to show clear improvement as injured players return, he may lose his final opportunity to justify his position. A summer departure remains firmly on the table. Ratcliffe has already held talks with former Brighton and Chelsea manager Graham Potter. Brighton’s current head coach Roberto De Zerbi is another candidate, along with INEOS-linked coach Francesco Farioli, currently leading French side Nice.

Farioli, just 34 years old, has guided Nice to second place in Ligue 1—only behind Paris Saint-Germain—and into the French Cup’s round of 16. His success has drawn strong praise from INEOS leadership, who value cross-club synergy similar to City Football Group or Red Bull’s multi-team model. Sharing coaching talent across clubs is part of their vision for long-term development.

Interestingly, Farioli has worked alongside De Zerbi in the past, with coaching experience in Benevento, Sassuolo, and Turkey. Sometimes you walk a thousand paths but only one fits; you meet countless people, but one connection is enough. Cricket Exchange users have noted with disappointment that Ten Hag often favors his trusted inner circle. With Ratcliffe considering bringing in his own trusted manager, Ten Hag may only have half a season left to prove he still belongs.