Erik ten Hag will face two crucial tests against Porto and Aston Villa this week.
If Erik ten Hag is fired, a former Manchester United coach has promised to return to Old Trafford. The Dutchman faces tremendous pressure to keep his job after Tottenham’s crushing loss last weekend.
According to reports, United will continue to use Ten Hag in the upcoming games even though there are increasing calls for his dismissal. They will play Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon after playing Porto in the Europa League on Thursday night.
If Ruud van Nistelrooy replaces Ten Hag, Rene Meulensteen, who was a member of Sir Alex Ferguson’s coaching staff at Old Trafford, would be willing to rejoin the team.
“I would be happy to have a conversation about it if the opportunity to return to the club under Ruud van Nistelrooy became a possibility,” Meulensteen remarked in an interview with BoyleSports.
“Without a question, my finest coaching years were spent at Manchester United, and I was incredibly lucky to be there during Sir Alex Ferguson’s highly successful tenure.
“Given Manchester United’s level, I would have to think about what I might bring to the table if the possibility to rejoin arose again. It is identical to how we used to scout athletes.
“We would only select guys who had the potential to make an impact, and if it came down to a function on the team, but I am familiar with Ruud, and I am confident that we could collaborate effectively once more.”
Meulensteen believes Ten Hag must be careful in approaching the next few games in order to save his job, with United looking to bounce back from their defeat to Tottenham with a positive result against Porto.
He added: “It’s up to him and his staff to get that message across to the players and come up with a game plan to turn things around. United simply cannot afford to start the game in the same way they started against Tottenham.
“When you cross the line, you choose your attitude as a player. You choose to run or not to run or put your heart into the game and that should never be in question, no matter what team you play for.
“The first thing that you expect from every player is work rate and if that’s not there then you have to question the motivation of those players. This is the time for the manager and players to come up with the strongest possible performance.”
