If you thought that the Sir Jim Ratcliffe/INEOS buy in of Manchester United Football Club would lead to the ouster of manager Erik ten Hag, well, you were wrong. Ten Hag met the media earlier today, and said that INEOS is eager to work with him; and vice versa.
Ten Hag said he hasn’t had a chance to meet with the new team tasked with leading the football related activities of the club, due to the fixture pile-up of the festive period. However, he hopes to sit down with them sometime in the near future.
Manchester United at Nottingham Forest FYIs
Kickoff: Sat. Dec. 30, 5:30 pm City Ground
United Preview Content: Early Team News Starting XI Prediction
Five Great Christmas Moments in MUFC History: go here
“The schedule is so condensed I didn’t have the time so far to speak with them but it will come,” he said today at his weekly presser.
“I look forward [to talking]. They want to work with me, I want to work with them, we will have the conversations, the meetings. We will see. I’m focused on the game so far, so I said no [to discussions]. In this moment I don’t want to have distractions. In the coming days, weeks, there will be time for us, then I’ll know more.”
Ten Hag also said that he believes the INEOS investment in the club (25% stake in the club at about £1.3 billion, or $1.6 billion) is a good thing.
“I think it’s a good thing, it’s very positive. We are looking really forward to work together,” the Dutchman added, at his press conference previewing the trip to Nottingham Forest tomorrow.
“INEOS wants to work with me in this structure and I want to work with them. We always want to win, it doesn’t matter who is the leader. We are appointed here in this area, we need a winning culture no matter who is in the lead, no matter who is the owner. But, of course, owners can inspire you.”
On the injury front Ten Hag gave the following update:
“Mid-January, we expect many players back: Mason Mount, Casemiro, Lisandro Martínez, Malacia, Harry Maguire.
Mount was photographed running outdoors on grass this week, so that likely means he’ll resume full training with the rest of the team soon. He’ll likely be the first of that injured quintet to return to action.
Elsewhere Luke Shaw, Sofyan Amrabat and Anthony Martial are likely to miss out for United tomorrow afternoon.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now, while writing for the International Baseball Writers Association of America. You can follow the website on Twitter.