People often ask me, why I still back ten Hag to the extent that I do, despite him making mistakes, and getting things wrong recently.
It's pretty simple really, I'm fed up with the constant attention, criticism, abuse and lack of patience our managers get. They are setup to fail, due to the owners, media and pressures. And as fans, we're meant to back them and alleviate the pressure, but instead pile it on.
When you have varying styled managers, of varying experience, and they all end up the same way. Then you should realise that the managers aren't the issue.
#MUFC are built on projects and long-term ideals. Our most sustained successes were built on long term ideals and the idea that things don't happen overnight, every great is worth waiting for. From the Busby Babes to the class of "92.
Not every project brings you success, but it's at least worth a shot. People need more patience and need to let Erik make mistakes. Just because something goes wrong, or he has done something incorrectly, doesn't make it a reason to fire him.
A good example is the goalkeeping situation. I'm not fully convinced by Onana, he still has some gaping flaws in his game, and ten Hag needs to be given the license to hold his hands up and move on if needed.
We saw the same thing happen with Fergie and Leighton, Pep and Bravo, Klopp and Karius and recently Arteta with Ramsdale.
Just because it goes wrong, doesn't make it a mistake. Once you became afraid to make mistakes, you become afraid to take risks. If ten Hag is seen as safe, or predictable. It's actually because he's afraid to make mistakes due to the pressures that be.
Very few managers excel in pressure and expectation. When Fergie came in, we weren't the club we are today, we had been in the 2nd division more recently than we'd won the league. There was still expectation, but the pressures were different. Fergie was allowed to make mistakes, but still had the backing from those that mattered.
Klopp came in to a Liverpool side, who hadn't won the league since the restructuring of the league system, Liverpool were a cup team at this point. Expectation, with little pressure. Arteta came into an Arsenal side who haven't won the league since the mid 2000s and were happy with finishing in European spots. And then Pep came into a City side that were built for success, all the pieces were there. And although there was big expectation there. As he's often stated the pressure and weight of that job isn't massive.
Managers need to be allowed to make mistakes, managers need to be allowed to be allowed to experiment, managers need to be allowed to have the time they need.
Football is the most beautiful, passionate, spectator sport in the world. And that spectator part is often taken too far. We chose to follow this sport, we fell in love with the sport, not the other way round. The player power is too much and the fan power is an issue too. Just sit back and watch the greatest sort of entertainment, there has ever been.
Trophies are the reward for sticking around, not the prize on admission.
The Director of Shire Structures, Ron Mace, recently participated in the Institution of Structural Engineers book, Subsidence.
The book is currently available for pre-order, and during the pre-sale period, 10% off the cover price is being offered.
https://t.co/KOzBVogg0A