Ian Wright believes Sir Jim Ratcliffe might actually show patience with Erik ten Hag after comments made by the new Manchester United shareholder on Arsenal's backing of Mikel Arteta. Ten Hag is widely believed to be under pressure at Old Trafford, with neither Champions League qualification nor a trophy a certainty this season.
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But INEOS chief Ratcliffe has been backed to give the Dutchman time by Gunners icon Wright. The former striker pointed out that Ratcliffe has previously been impressed by Arsenal’s patience with Arteta.
Arteta faced similar pressure to Ten Hag during his first few years as head coach at Arsenal but has now turned the north Londoners into title contenders.
Asked this week about the possibility of Arsenal winning the Premier League, Ratcliffe said: “It would be good for Arteta, actually. It would be good for him because he’s done really well and Arsenal have been patient with him, which is nice as well.”
Wright says Ratcliffe’s comments bode well for Ten Hag, who could be given time to manage the huge transition at Old Trafford.
“You know what’s strange about it, is when you listen to Sir Jim Ratcliffe talk, how he admires Arsenal’s patience with Mikel Arteta, which obviously the FA Cup gave him even more time," Wright told the Stick To Football Podcast.
“It gave me the impression that Sir Jim is going to give Erik ten Hag time. It feels like that because if you are talking about Arteta and patience, and he’s quite admirable about the way he is speaking about it.”
However, Wright concedes that possible successor Gareth Southgate has the ‘stature’ for the United job. England manager Southgate has been linked with the Red Devils while speculation over Ten Hag’s future mounts.
Southgate will take England into Euro 2024 but has previously hinted that the month in Germany could be his final tournament. The potential arrival of the former Football Association technical director Dan Ashworth at Old Trafford has intensified talk that Southgate could be set to replace Ten Hag.
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“I see Gareth Southgate standing on the line and the way he will be dressed, and his demeanour... He’s got the stature to be Manchester United manager. The way he is,” Wright continued.
“And we’re not talking about - I’m not being disrespectful, but in a kind of way I am - his massive, big polo-necks, and he doesn’t look quite dressed.
“He looks like he’s got the stature for Manchester United. He’ll probably look the part standing on the line for Manchester United.”
