If Erik ten Hag's future wasn't up for debate before Manchester United's 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Saturday, then it very much is now.
Saturday evening marked another chapter in the Old Trafford circus with Sir Jim Ratcliffe now left to pick up the pieces from a bizarre series of events.
This wasn't how the opening act of his tenure with United was meant to go. This was a new dawn, hopes of a brighter future had swarmed over the 20-time English champions. Alas, football very rarely follows the script.
After a fourth straight game in which the Red Devils had failed to win in the Premier League, it left them ten points behind Aston Villa in the race for fourth, a gap that could widen if the Villans beat Arsenal in Sunday's late kick-off.
The pressure clearly getting to Ten Hag, he remarkably stormed out of his press conference post-match. He did so having 'thrown Garnacho under a bus' – in the words of Mark Goldbridge – for some of his post-game comments.
The Dutchman's style of play was also criticised by full-back Diogo Dalot, who said: "It's been one of our concerns, maybe [we need to] try to be more compact as a team – don't try to make the gap between defenders and midfield too big,"
It doesn't bode well, therefore, for the former Ajax boss' future in English football.
Erik ten Hag replacement lined up
A number of successors have been discussed in recent weeks with Thiago Motta at Bologna thought to be on the list and even ex-Chelsea man Graham Potter.
Considering how the latter left his role at Stamford Bridge, that is unlikely to excite many in the northwest. However, the thought of Julian Nagelsmann may do.
According to TEAMtalk, the German boss – who was described as "the coaching wonderkid" by scout Jacek Kulig – is of increasing interest to Ratcliffe at Man United.
At the moment, Nagelsmann is in charge of the German national team and therefore any move is unlikely to happen before the European Championships have concluded this summer.
However, the latest is that he has ‘received an offer’ to take the job at an unnamed Premier League club from the start of next season. That's according to Sport1.
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ByMatt DawsonApr 9, 2024 What Julian Nagelsmann could bring to Man United
Nagelsmann has been a name on the lips of the elite teams for a host of years now.
Currently participating in his first international job, the 36-year-old had enjoyed nearly two seasons with Bayern Munich where he won the league in his debut campaign before being given his marching orders.
Thomas Tuchel replaced him and we all know how that's played out. Bayern have failed to win the Bundesliga for the first time in 11 years and risk going trophyless unless they can win the Champions League.
Thus, it would seem that German top-flight glory is not a foregone conclusion, so Nagelsmann deserves some credit for his achievements there.
After all, he has been labelled the "best young coach in Europe" by reporter Josh Bunting for a reason. What is that reason? Well, he's been around the block for nearly a decade now despite his young age.
At 28, he became Hoffenheim's youngest manager in their history when he took over in 2015 and duly proved his worth, securing Champions League qualification with the club.
But, how does he do it? What's the young manager's style and philosophy?
Well, it certainly bodes well for fixing some of Man United's biggest issues. While at Leipzig, the young coach preferred to play with limited width. That may not necessarily address the form of, let's say, Marcus Rashford, but it could address the ridiculous hole in the centre of the pitch.
United's midfield has been an issue all season long. Kobbie Mainoo has emerged to great success but Casemiro – who "looks like he's playing in Soccer Aid" – in the words of Jamie Redknapp has been a major reason for the club's downfall. He always looks rather leggy and as such, a constant stream of pressure is applied by opposition teams in central areas.
As the above video suggests, "overloading the centre is another favoured Nagelsmann tactic" with "possession and domination key to success".
So, first things first, Nagelsmann would need an upgrade on Casemiro in order to apply his previously described 'high octane' style of play.
Interestingly, he also seems to maintain high standards in the dressing room. The same cannot be said for Ten Hag. He's already fallen out with Jadon Sancho and a war of words could be set to follow with Garnacho too.
The German boss, however, likes to keep his feet on the ground. Speaking to the Bundesliga's official channels, he once said: "I don’t tell the players who's starting [a match] until we're in the dressing room at the stadium.
"It maintains morale. There's a danger, particularly with young players, that they'll spend too long in front of the TV the night before because they'll be thinking: 'I'm not playing tomorrow'. Even though I'm not the kind of person to criticise players for their actions, I don't want anything getting out before a game."
So, he maintains discipline, plays through the centre of the pitch and has a reputation as one of the great young managers around. What's not to like? He's even dealt with the pressure at Bayern pretty well. This would be a fine replacement for Ten Hag should Ratcliffe choose to go in a different direction.
