If I had known about this issue before I might have rejected the job offer. This is the worst thing INOES can do the club and it is affecting us adversely but I’ll try everything I can to get this team back on track” – This is according to Ruben Amorim as a recent admission from his sheds light on a significant error made by Ineos during the month of September , a decision that Manchester United is now feeling the repercussions of.

When a football club makes the bold decision to change its manager mid-season, it is often a glaring sign that the situation has reached a critical point of dysfunction. For Manchester United and their new part-owners, Ineos, the 2023/24 campaign epitomized such a scenario. The turbulence that engulfed the club during this period was a culmination of poor performances, questionable decisions, and a desperate need for restructuring.

The 2023/24 season was nothing short of catastrophic for Manchester United. A club with its rich history and sky-high expectations found itself languishing in eighth place by the end of the Premier League season. For a team that prides itself on competing for top honors, this was an unmitigated disaster. However, a glimmer of hope emerged amidst the gloom. Erik ten Hag managed to lead his side to an unlikely 2-1 victory over their fierce city rivals, Manchester City, in the FA Cup final. This triumph not only delivered a rare moment of joy for United fans but also seemingly bought Ten Hag some time, as it temporarily shielded him from an otherwise imminent dismissal.

Despite this brief respite, Ineos, who had recently acquired a stake in the club, recognized the need for a complete overhaul of Manchester United’s sporting operations. The plan initially appeared promising, with the appointment of Dan Ashworth to spearhead the restructuring. Yet, this effort unraveled almost as quickly as it began. Ashworth’s unexpected departure left the club scrambling, and the broader vision of supporting the struggling Ten Hag seemed increasingly futile. By the end of October, the axe finally fell on Ten Hag’s tenure, with the club acknowledging that his position had become untenable.

United’s decision to stick with Ten Hag through another costly summer transfer window only exacerbated the situation. After another round of lavish spending, it became painfully evident that the Dutchman was not capable of turning things around. Many argued that his dismissal should have come far earlier, particularly after the humiliating 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in late September—a game widely described as one of the worst performances in Manchester United’s modern history. This crushing loss exposed the cracks in Ten Hag’s system and, for many, should have marked the end of his reign. Instead, the club hesitated, finally pulling the trigger on October 28, a move that many deemed too little, too late.

The aftermath of Ten Hag’s departure was chaotic, as United embarked on a lengthy process to secure a replacement. It wasn’t until three weeks later that Ruben Amorim was officially unveiled as the new manager. Taking over in the middle of a tumultuous season, Amorim faced an uphill battle from the start. In a candid interview with Sky Sports ahead of the Manchester Derby, he shed light on the immense challenges he encountered in his early days. With just 20 days at the helm, Amorim revealed he had managed only three full training sessions with the entire squad due to fixture congestion and international breaks. This limited time severely hampered his ability to implement his tactical philosophy and build cohesion within the team.

Amorim’s plea for patience underscored the enormity of the task he had undertaken. The Portuguese manager’s pragmatic approach was evident, as he called on fans and pundits to temper their expectations during the initial stages of his tenure. Reflecting on the situation, it is clear that United missed a crucial opportunity to set Amorim up for success by delaying Ten Hag’s dismissal. Had the change been made after the Tottenham debacle, Amorim could have used the ensuing weeks to integrate his methods and prepare the squad for the grueling December schedule.

In hindsight, Manchester United’s handling of the managerial transition serves as a cautionary tale of indecision and mismanagement. The delay in addressing the glaring issues under Ten Hag not only cost the team valuable time but also placed Amorim in a nearly impossible position. As United fans look ahead, the hope is that the lessons of this chaotic period will drive the club towards a more stable and successful future under Amorim’s

leadership.

The 2023/24 season for Manchester United was a defining chapter of mismanagement, frustration, and eventual change. While the decision to part ways with Erik ten Hag was inevitable, the delayed timing and the turbulent transition highlighted a broader organizational dysfunction. Here are the key reflections from this period:

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### **The Ten Hag Era: Promises Unfulfilled**
– **Eighth-Place Finish**: For a club of United’s stature, finishing eighth in the Premier League was a catastrophic underachievement.
– **FA Cup Consolation**: The surprise FA Cup victory against Manchester City provided fleeting relief but was insufficient to mask deeper systemic issues.
– **Summer Transfer Missteps**: Despite significant investment, Ten Hag’s failure to integrate new signings effectively underscored his struggles to adapt and innovate.

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### **Ineos’ Takeover and Structural Overhaul**
– **New Leadership Vision**: The partial takeover by Ineos brought fresh ambitions for revamping United’s sporting operations.
– **Dan Ashworth’s Appointment and Exit**: Ashworth’s brief stint promised stability but ended abruptly, compounding the instability.
– **Delayed Action on Ten Hag**: Hesitating to dismiss Ten Hag after key losses, such as the 3-0 defeat to Tottenham, reflected a lack of decisive leadership.

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### **The Ruben Amorim Era: A Rocky Start**
– **Timing Challenges**: Appointed late in October, Amorim inherited a fractured squad and limited time to implement his tactics.
– **Fixture Congestion**: Only three full training sessions with the entire squad in his first 20 days hampered his ability to establish his philosophy.
– **Calls for Patience**: Amorim’s pragmatic approach and public appeal for tempered expectations reflected his understanding of the task’s enormity.

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### **Lessons from the Chaos**
1. **Timely Decisions Are Crucial**: The delay in replacing Ten Hag wasted valuable weeks, leaving Amorim at a disadvantage.
2. **Clear Transition Plans**: The rushed managerial change underscored the need for proactive succession planning in elite football.
3. **Fan and Media Management**: Amorim’s candid communication helped manage expectations, but the club’s prior missteps had already alienated much of the fanbase.

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### **Looking Forward**
Ruben Amorim’s success depends on Manchester United’s ability to provide him with the necessary resources, time, and support to rebuild. The lessons from the chaotic 2023/24 campaign must guide the club’s leadership to avoid repeating past mistakes. Stability, strategic foresight, and patience will be pivotal as the Portuguese manager attempts to restore United’s identity and competitiveness.

As fans and stakeholders await the future, hope lies in Amorim’s capacity to instill a cohesive philosophy and drive the team toward sustained success.