Slaven Bilic believes Erik ten Hag is the perfect person to become the next manager, but there is a ‘little question mark’ that needs to be addressed.
Ten Hag is expected to be officially offered the United job following positive talks with the club’s hierarchy.
The head coach is highly rated having won two Eredivisie titles with the Dutch club and gained widespread notoriety and acclaim for guiding the club to the semi-finals of the in 2019.
Naturally, questions have been raised about his suitability for the role, but former United and West Bromwich Albion manager Bilic is certain he is the right man for the job.
Speaking on , the Croatian said: ‘He’s [Ten Hag] not new he’s experienced. He’s at a great age, maybe the best age, but at the same time he’s fresh for this country especially for the media. He’s got trophies, he won a couple of leagues in Holland, and he’s managed a big club in Ajax.
‘Plus, the way they play – everyone adored Ajax for what they did when they beat Real Madrid, when they beat Juventus and they were unlucky to be knocked out by Spurs, so all the ingredients are there, all those boxes are ticked.’
However, Bilic, currently out of a job since leaving Beijing Guoan in January, did note one thing holding the Ten Hag back from being the perfect appointment at Old Trafford.
‘The only thing for me that is putting a bit of a question mark is the [United] dressing room.
‘The Ajax players, apart from a few of them who played in the Premier League [already] – Dusan Tadic, Daley Blind, Sebastien Haller – they are young players who are hungry, young playesr who have to listen, young players who are impressionable in their first, second, third season.
‘Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying that he’s not impressive, but it was a similar situation with Rangnick. He did great with the players at RB Leipzig, but they were young players, they didn’t have big egos. Manchester United is a bit different.
‘The good thing about him is that he was already assistant to Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich so he watched him for the row behind and he experienced that situation with massive stars who are sometimes on the bench, sometimes they are not even in the squad, so he’s got that memory but that is the only little question mark he will have to prove.’
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