Patrice Evra says he’s ‘had enough’ of sacking managers but expects to come up against serious ‘pressure’ to act if results fail to improve with in charge.
After crashing out of the at the group stage, United find themselves languishing down in eighth place in the English top flight thanks to a desperately poor run of results over recent months.
However, the arrival of new co-owner Ratcliffe has generated a sense of optimism amongst the Old Trafford faithful, after years of stagnation with the Glazers at the helm, and the Red Devils will be determined to close the gap on the top four when they return to Premier League action.
Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure in 2013, United have seen four permanent managers come and go in the shape of David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick and Ralf Rangnick also overseeing the first-team on an interim basis.
And while Evra is yet to be fully convinced by Ten Hag, he has grown frustrated with United’s managerial conveyor belt and hopes the Dutchman is given more time to turn the club’s fortunes around after overseeing a third-place finish last term.
‘One thing I can tell you is that I’ve had enough of sacking managers,’ the former United and France full-back told .
‘If we sack Erik it would be the fifth manager we’ve sacked and this is not United. United is a loyal team.
‘But right now we are not doing the job.
‘Jim Ratcliffe has come in now, he’s got 20 per cent of the club and is focussed on the football so I think all the pressure will go on Jim Ratcliffe.
‘I would never lie to the fans, right now we’re not doing good enough.’
Evra understands United supporters’ anger and frustration this season but does not want his former team to turn into Chelsea, with a reputation for casting managers aside when results dip.
‘When we were losing 2-0 at half-time against Aston Villa, I was commentating on the game and said that if United kept playing like that they would win 3-2,’ he added.
‘Everyone said I was crazy and at the end we won 3-2. Amazing. But after that we go and lose to Nottingham Forest so what is missing is that consistency.
‘I don’t care of Erik ten Hag, I just want to make sure that one manager is there and we support it because last year everyone was saying that Erik ten Hag is the man.
‘He did a good job last season but, at United, every year you have to win something and perform so if he’s not in the top four – this is not my decision – but Jim Ratcliffe, maybe they already want to come with a new manager so let’s see…
‘But I’ve had enough of sacking managers. If you remember Chelsea after Jose Mourinho and they kept sacking managers, don’t have stability and consistency.
‘I understand if United fans are upset and angry, but don’t forget how many years we destroyed so many teams. Today it’s not the same but the history never dies.’
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