Excitement is growing among the Manchester United fanbase with the news that Erik ten Hag is potentially on his way to Old Trafford.
The Manchester Evening News understands that Ajax are expecting their Dutch manager to move to Old Trafford for the 2022/23 season and beyond. These reports on Wednesday have, for the first time since pre-season, created optimism in the red half of Manchester.
It is hard not to get carried away. Ten Hag is different to everything that has come since Sir Alex Ferguson.
ALSO READ: 'We're on our way back' - Manchester United fans delighted by latest Erik ten Hag rumours
He is a young coach with fresh ideas about how to play football but, unlike Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, he has a track record of managing at a high level. What is likely to excite fans most of all is that he signifies a fresh beginning.
Ten Hag comes from outside the United sphere; for as much as Solskjaer was/is a fans' favourite, it was hard to see that he would have been given even a sniff of the job had he not been a former player. If appointed, Ten Hag will become the club's second-ever Dutch manager and he will play a part in resolving the previous Dutch boss' biggest problem with United.
During an interview with The Guardian after his United dismissal, Louis van Gaal explained what he believed was the issue with United. "The problem begins with, of course, that Manchester United was never refreshed," he explained.
"I think when you are a manager you have to refresh every year to keep the team-building process going." Despite speaking in 2019, Van Gaal's words speak just as true in 2022.
United have failed to refresh properly since Ferguson with plenty of deadwood lingering. Some of their signings have resembled the work of a Football Manager enthusiast, bringing in players for their 'name value' rather than their current ability.
It has been nearly nine years since the beginning of the post-Ferguson era but each season has felt the same. Disappointment and mediocrity littered throughout - Ten Hag may not be a guaranteed success, but at least he would signify a 'refresh'.
A change of thinking to shake up what is a stale football club at present will be beneficial for United. The biggest test is still to come, though.
Richard Arnold and the Glazers must back Ten Hag to implement his changes, the worry is whether he will be allowed to add his stamp. Like Van Gaal referred to, each manager since Sir Alex has felt like they have rented the club rather than taken ownership of it, always hamstrung by the wishes of the board.
If United are truly to become successful once again under Ten Hag, they must allow him to start afresh. If not, the Dutchman will fall victim to the curse that has plagued previous tenants.
Sign up to our United newsletter so you never miss an update from Old Trafford this season.
