Sir Jim paid no attention to Guardiola extraordinary message about Man Utd boss

Sir Jim Ratcliffe was among those who made the decision to sack Erik ten Hag last year, despite Pep Guardiola's glowing evaluation of the Dutch Manchester United manager

Sir Jim Ratcliffe made the tough decision to sack Erik ten Hag last year despite high praise from Pep Guardiola. Ten Hag led United to a stunning 2-1 victory over arch-rivals Manchester City in the 2024 FA Cup final thanks to goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.

Guardiola, impressed by United's tactical prowess in overcoming his formidable City team, didn't hold back in his admiration for Ten Hag. Speaking after the game, Guardiola said: "He's a lovely person and an extraordinary manager.

"Winning the FA Cup is important for them like last season it was for us." Yet, despite the FA Cup triumph, Ten Hag's tenure at United was marred by a disappointing league campaign.

The Red Devils finished an unprecedented eighth in the Premier League in the 2023/24 season, managing only 18 victories in 38 games, and were also knocked out of the League Cup by Newcastle in the fourth round. In the Champions League, Ten Hag's squad failed to progress past the group stage, finishing last behind Bayern Munich, Copenhagen, and Galatasaray, with just one win in six matches.

Despite speculation about Ten Hag's future ahead of last year's summer break, minority shareholder Ratcliffe and the United board chose to back the manager, avoiding a repeat of Louis van Gaal's dismissal shortly after his FA Cup victory in 2016, reports the Manchester Evening News. Ten Hag was granted a contract extension until July 2026 and given a substantial transfer budget to strengthen his team for the 2024/25 season.

Despite nearly £200million spent on players such as Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt, Manuel Ugarte, Leny Yoro, and Noussair Mazraoui, Ten Hag found it difficult to change the team's fortunes as the 2024/25 season began. The 55-year-old managed only three victories from the first nine matches of the season before being dismissed following a 2-1 defeat to West Ham United in October.

Despite Guardiola's glowing endorsement, Ratcliffe evidently felt that Ten Hag wasn't the right person to restore United's former glory - he even later confessed that it was an error to let him stay on after the FA Cup win. Ruben Amorim took over as manager of the club the following month, with supporters in the northwest anticipating great things from the highly successful former Sporting CP strategist.

However, some argue that the 49-year-old Portuguese maestro has performed worse than Ten Hag in his final season. As the 2024/25 season draws to a close, the club is on course for another record-low finish, while also failing to progress beyond the fifth round of the FA Cup and the quarter-finals of the League Cup.

Despite this, Amorim could still secure the Europa League title, with the Red Devils set to face Tottenham Hotspur in the European competition's final on Wednesday. A victory would not only significantly improve the team's overall performance in 2024/25 but also secure them a spot in next season's Champions League.

However, further investment from the board will be required, as Amorim continues to struggle to adapt the squad he inherited from Ten Hag to his style of play, with United lagging far behind their rivals. Meanwhile, Guardiola is aiming to make amends for last year and guide Manchester City to an eighth FA Cup on Saturday afternoon, with The Cityzens set to face Crystal Palace at Wembley.

If successful, it would mark the third time Guardiola has led the team to the trophy, and it would be his 19th piece of silverware with the side, including Premier Leagues, domestic and European titles, Super Cups, and Club World Cups. Conversely, a victory for Palace would represent the London club's first triumph in the tournament.

The Eagles have notably reached the final of the competition twice before, falling short against Manchester United in 1990 and again in 2016.

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