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Did Manchester United Have The Right Manager In Their Ranks All Along?

Six matches into the Premier League season, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is already on the hot seat. While just over 200 miles away, on the eastern coast of England, former U-18 manager Kieren McKenna has Ipswich Town playing well, which begs the question - did United have the right manager right under their thumb the whole time?

By Geoffrey Campbell

Ex-Manchester United assistant Kieran McKenna is impressing at Ipswich
Ex-Manchester United assistant Kieran McKenna is impressing at Ipswich / Justin Setterfield/GettyImages
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In the past, whenever manager Erik ten Hag has been questioned regarding his performance as manager, he has been quick to point to Manchester United's Carabao Cup and FA Cup trophies as evidence of his accomplishments, and a sign that United are heading in the right direction.

However, after a 3-0 drubbing at home at the hands of a short-handed Tottenham Hotspur, Ten Hag's tone was anything but bullish—instead, he preached staying 'together', reassuring the media that he and the board are still on the same page in terms of the long-term vision and plan for the club.

While it's possible that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS will be patient with Ten Hag, it's becoming increasingly clear that the fans won't - and who could blame them? Tottenham scored three minutes into a home match when Diogo Dalot essentially stopped tracking Brennan Johnson before tapping in the first goal of the match. From that moment forward, United looked tentative and as if they didn't have a plan.

The Dutchman has now guided United to three defeats in the Premier League and will face off against Aston Villa this coming Sunday. It's hard to see a silver lining to this perpetual dark cloud hanging over the Red Devils. Villa look every bit the strong side that has picked up where they left off last season, as they qualified for the Champions League for the first time since the 1982-83 season.

To make matters worse, former Manchester United U-18 manager Kieren McKenna has impressed in his first season in the Premier League with Ipswich Town. Only three points and two places below the Red Devils in the table, McKenna and his squad recently earned a tough draw against the aforementioned top-five side Aston Villa. In particular, Ipswich Town have a solid defensive foundation and look threatening on the counter-attack.

Per Football Reference, Ipswich Town are ranked in the top-half of the table for both tackles+interceptions and blocks. And although they haven't registered their first win in the premier league, McKenna has his squad playing with a clear identity and through their best player, Liam Delap.

Contrast those results with United, who have, courtesy of Spotrac, more than quadruple their annual player salaries, and it's easy to see why supporters are frustrated and already creating shortlists of who the next Manchester United manager might be. McKenna of course, did meet with INEOS prior to the end of last season, but Ipswich Town were quick to offer a four-year contract extension, locking up the Northern Irishman through the summer of 2028.

ESPN's Rob Dawson reports that Erik ten Hag might be on borrowed time, and that INEOS will look at results from the next two matches (FC Porto in Europa League and Aston Villa in Premier League) before making a decision on his future.

If Ten Hag sacked, supporters will be left to wonder what could've been as the gap in the standings between Ipswich Town and Manchester United appear to be getting smaller.

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