Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag saw job offer disappear after players stepped in

Erik ten Hag was supposedly considered for the Bayern Munich job this summer, until the club’s players reportedly intervened. Manchester United boss Ten Hag found himself under intense scrutiny earlier this year, narrowly avoiding being sacked after leading the Red Devils to their worst-ever Premier League finish, having redeemed himself with an FA Cup trophy.

German powerhouse Bayern were said to be courting Ten Hag as a potential successor – should he be shown the exit door in Manchester – to Thomas Tuchel, the newly appointed England manager, who had a significant falling out with the Bavarian club’s management.

However, it is reported that a large portion of the Bayern team, including Harry Kane, who is expected to captain the Three Lions under Tuchel, opposed Ten Hag’s possible appointment.

According to Sky Germany, several key first-team players, including Kane, Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller, Leroy Sane and Jamal Musiala, all supported the new England manager over Ten Hag.

Unfortunately, the relationship between Tuchel and Bayern’s board was irreparable, and he ultimately moved on. Instead of leaving Old Trafford, Ten Hag was offered a one-year contract extension instead, keeping him at United until 2026. Meanwhile, former Burnley manager Vincent Kompany has taken over at the Allianz Arena.

The players taking such a stand is not a great look for the Dutchman, who, despite the trust placed in him by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co, continues to steer his Red Devils ship into choppy waters. With a meagre eight points from seven Premier League matches, Ten Hag’s position hangs in the balance as United’s performances continue to dip.

After 3-0 defeats at the hands of Liverpool and Tottenham, a crucial meeting with United’s board took place, and although reports suggested that Ten Hag’s role depended on the outcomes of clashes with Porto and Aston Villa (with both ending in draws), there has been no sacking over the international break.

Speaking in a confident tone just last month, under-fire Ten Hag said: “We all made a decision to stay together as an ownership, as a leadership group in the summer.

“And also, we made the decision from a clear review of what we have to improve as an organisation and how we want to construct a squad. They are all decision-making in togetherness.

“We are all there on one page, one boat, together, with the ownership, the leadership group, the staff, and the players’ group, so I don’t have that concern. Of course, there’s always a new game, there will be a new day, and it’s also obvious you have to learn as a team.”