Manchester United
Premier League • England
Roy Keane ‘disappointed’ as Man Utd players got Ten Hag sacked by not being ‘good enough’
Roy Keane has revealed he is “disappointed” with seeing Erik ten Hag depart Manchester United, as he reveals the players “let him down by not being good enough.”
Ten Hag was dismissed on Monday, with United 14th in the Premier League. A loss against West Ham was the final straw for him, after a consistent slip in Premier League positions, after finishing third in his first season and eighth in his second.
United have quickly moved on, with Ruben Amorim now given the role, beginning on November 11.
But there are still conversations ongoing about his predecessor, with United legend Keane weighing in, with the suggestion that the players are to blame for getting Ten Hag sacked.
“Disappointed, you always are. It’s a new start, new manager coming in in a couple of weeks. You always wish him well. It’s a big challenge for him trying to get United back competing at the top of the table. It’s a big ask, you wish him well,” he told Sky Sports.
“But you always have sympathy for a manager losing his job and ultimately I think, whatever [you think] about the board, the players let him down by their efforts and not being good enough.
“The challenge will be, of course, getting players in. We make the point about there’s a few players in the United team in big positions who can’t run, right, which is a big problem. But they also have players who don’t want to run.”
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Ten Hag gives players no mention
In his first comments since his sacking, Ten Hag was very thankful of United’s fans, but there was no mention of his players.
“Dear fans, let me start by thanking you. Thank you for always being there for the club. Whether it was at a game far away or a tough match at Old Trafford, your support has been unshakeable. The atmosphere at Old Trafford has always been electrifying, thanks to you,” he said.
“I felt it many times. Also in away games, it gave the team and me an incredible feeling to hear the United chants taking over the opponents’ stadiums, whether the game was in England, Europe, or during the summer tours.
“I always enjoyed meeting Manchester United fans throughout the world. Walking the streets and being able to chat with fans in England, Europe, Asia, Australia, the USA – you inspired me and radiated a strong sense of unity. That’s what makes United supporters so special.
“I want to thank you for giving me this feeling and for your support. I also want to thank the staff in every department of the club for their unwavering support in good times and bad.”
Man Utd round-up: Amorim stamping authority
New boss Amorim is already showing how he wants to put his stamp on the United side. He is reportedly eager to sign Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who is also on the radar of Liverpool.
TEAMtalk believes that Amorim wants to take Goncalo Inacio, Marcus Edwards and Pedro Goncalves with him to United from his current side Sporting CP.
But the manager has said that he won’t go hunting at the Portuguese outfit in January.
That may be for the best, given United have been told they need to avoid the sort of situation they had with Ten Hag, who signed players he knew well from his previous job, some of which have not come off at United.