Manchester United have removed Mike Phelan from the first-team coaching staff although he remains contracted to the club.
The club’s continuing off-field changes will include Phelan not serving as a first-team coach for the upcoming campaign. The news comes after interim coach Ralf Rangnick departed Old Trafford – not fulfilling his previously agreed two-year consultancy role - while the German’s coaches - including Chris Armas, Ewan Sharp and Sascha Lense - have also exited.
Phelan, 59, returned to Old Trafford in 2019 to work as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's assistant coach having been the sporting director of Central Coast Mariners in Australia. The former United midfielder had served as Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant between 2008 and 2013, while he managed Hull City for 24 matches in the 2016-17 campaign.
As highlighted by the MEN, it is likely that Phelan’s contract with United will remain in place despite the outlines of his role changing. It is yet undetermined as to what he will be tasked with for the forthcoming campaign but it is suggested that he could take up an ambassadorial role with the club.
Phelan played for United for five seasons between 1989-1994 and returned to the club in a coaching capacity in 2000. Sir Alex Ferguson promoted him to a first-team coach the following year, prior to him replacing Carlos Queiroz as Ferguson’s number two in 2008.
The first-team coach was retained by interim boss Rangnick upon his arrival at United last December, but he was often not consulted over major decisions. However, the German began to lean on Phelan’s advice much more after the Premier League meeting against West Ham in January.
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The coach had advised Rangnick against substituting on Jesse Lingard late against the Hammers and instead argued that Anthony Martial would be the better fit. With the game finely poised at 0-0 and ticking into the last 10 minutes, Phelan pointed out how Martial would drift left into an area that was likely to be vacated by Ryan Fredericks, the attack-minded West Ham right-back, who had just been introduced
Phelan – who had been standing closer to the pitch and away from the main coaching team – had his message relayed to Rangnick by Darren Fletcher, with the substitution paying off. Martial played a big part in finding space in the area that Phelan had suggested to help provide Marcus Rashford with his winner in the last minute of stoppage time.
From that moment on, Rangnick leaned on Phelan’s input to a greater extent. However, Ten Hag will not do the same. Phelan joins Carrick, Solskjaer and Ryan Giggs as the latest member of Ferguson's former playing or coaching set-up to depart. Ten Hag’s coaching staff is continuing to take shape with the appointment of performance analyst Kevin Keij from Ajax.
