Summary Erik Ten Hag is under high pressure at Manchester United right now following a tough start to the season. A number of replacements should be under consideration, including 'one of the most emotional in Europe'. He's never lost to Man United during his managerial career.
Erik ten Hag continues to see out another day as Manchester United boss, the forlorn Dutchman on the sidelines yet to be put out of his misery despite increased shouts for the ex-Ajax manager to leave his post.
Back-to-back 3-0 defeats at Old Trafford in the Manchester Derby and also to a rampant Newcastle United side hasn't helped his cause either, boos ringing out around the Theatre of Dreams at full-time in the crushing Magpies loss.
Eight wins and eight losses from 16 matches this season under the 53-year-old's guidance is way below where the Red Devils want to be, especially after a promising first campaign under the now-strained head coach ended with his team finishing third in the top flight and a Wembley day out saw Cup silverware achieved.
Still, with the pressure ramping up, Ten Hag looks set to be another managerial casualty to join the long list of bosses who have crashed and burned when taking on the poisoned chalice of becoming Man United manager.
Diego Simeone could well be next in line to take on the pressured job role, with the fierce Atletico Madrid manager linked in the past to the Red Devils hot-seat after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's exit.
Man Utd manager latest
Rumoured with a switch to Man United back in 2021 – reported by the Independent – the move never materialised with Simeone staying put in Spain.
It was believed that Ed Woodward, who was vice-chairman and chief executive of Man United at the time, was "enchanted" by the prospect of Simeone joining, the Argentine manager a serial winner with Atletico.
The Man United hierarchy would instead opt for Ten Hag to replace the out-going Solskjaer however, a managerial move that will surely now be tinged in regret.
Yet, with the Dutchman showing no signs of turning around the current mess at Old Trafford, interest in Simeone's services should intensify once more as the season goes on.
Simeone's record as manager at Atletico Madrid
Rumoured to be open to the idea of leaving Spain according to TEAMTalk at the start of the year to pursue managerial opportunities elsewhere, Simeone would break the hearts of his adoring Atletico followers if he was to up and leave for pastures new now.
The 53-year-old – who also featured for the La Liga outfit during his playing days – has become synonymous with the touchline at the Metropolitano Stadium and the Vicente Calderón before it – Simeone managing Atletico since 2011, 12 years of his unwavering passion helping his teams pull off brilliant results.
x2 La Liga
European Coach of the Season (2011/12)
x2 UEFA Super Cup
x4 La Liga Manager of the Month
x2 Europa League
x4 La Liga Coach of the Year
x1 Copa del Rey
IFFHS World's Best Club Coach (2016)
x1 Spanish Super Cup
IFFHS Club Coach of the Decade (2011-2020)
x2 Argentine Primeira Division
He has added honour after honour to a now glittering trophy cabinet at the club, winning La Liga twice to stop the usual suspects of Barcelona and Real Madrid running away with the division – the first La Liga title triumph secured on Barca's patch during the 2013-14 season, Diego Godin's goal securing a share of the points on the day to crown Simeone's side as division winners.
It's Simeone's aura that will further win Man United fans over to him alongside his knack for setting his teams up to win silverware, even in spite of the infamous incident during his playing career that saw the Argentinian fall over theatrically in the World Cup to get Man United hero at the time David Beckham sent off.
Labelled as "one of the most emotional managers in Europe" by short-term Red Devils boss Ralf Rangnick before his side faced off against Simeone's Atletico, this passion and fervour displayed by the South American head coach – the opposite of their current boss – are arguably what is needed to reinstall intensity back to Man United's overall game.
Ten Hag looks to be on borrowed time, and if the Red Devils could pull off a deal to get Simeone into the building as his replacement, all fingers would be crossed that they'd finally appointed a star manager capable of achieving success and delivering passion to Old Trafford again.
