Ten Hag worse than Mourinho but it’s enough to keep Man Utd job
Erik ten Hag has had 114 games in charge of Manchester United and has been worse than Jose Mourinho, but earned himself a stay of execution.
Here are United’s top 10 post-war managers ranked by win percentage…
1) Alex Ferguson – 59.7%
November 1986 – May 2013
Games: 1500
Wins: 895
Draws: 338
Defeats: 267
Honours: 13 Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues, five FA Cups, four League Cups, 10 Community Shields (1 shared), European Cup Winners’ Cup, European Super Cup, Intercontinental Cup, FIFA Club World Cup.
The greatest ever to do it, since football was re-invented in 1992, Ferguson won more matches (528) and seen United score more goals (1,627) than any other manager in Premier League history.
2) Jose Mourinho – 58.3%
May 2016 – December 2018
Games: 144
Wins: 84
Draws: 32
Defeats: 28
Honours: Europa League, League Cup, Community Shield
Jose was one of a few managers to fall victim to a feckless squad, and the Portuguese manager has been proven right about a few things since he was sacked.
3) Erik ten Hag – 57.9%
May 2022 – present
Games: 114
Wins: 66
Draws: 15
Defeats: 31
Honours: League Cup, FA Cup.
He was top of this list as he clicked over 100 games but things have largely gone very wrong since. Except v Liverpool. And in the FA Cup final. Which was weird.
4) Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – 54.2%
December 2018 – November 2021
Games: 168
Wins: 91
Draws: 37
Defeats: 40
Honours: –
The only manager on this list without an honour (if a shared Charity Shield that is classed as such), Solskjaer’s reign took in an interim spell before he was given the job permanently after an incredible run powered by smiles and good vibes. And he came within a penalty shoot-out of a Europa League triumph.
5) David Moyes – 52.9%
July 2013 – April 2014
Games: 51
Wins: 27
Draws: 9
Defeats: 15
Honours: Community Shield
The Chosen One was very much the wrong one. Though any manager following Fergie would almost certainly have struggled, especially with Ed Woodward cutting his teeth above him.
6) Louis van Gaal – 52.4%
July 2014 – May 2016
Games: 103
Wins: 54
Draws: 25
Defeats: 24
Honours: FA Cup (2016)
King Louis’ football was painfully prescriptive at times, but even as the man who followed the man after main main, Van Gaal struggled to get his message across. Knew he was sacked while lifting the 2016 FA Cup.
7) Matt Busby – 51.4%
Two spells: October 1945 – June 1969; and December 1970 – June 1971
Games: 1141
Wins: 576
Draws: 266
Defeats: 299
Honours: Five First Division titles, one European Cup, two FA Cups, five Charity Shields (two shared).
The Godfather of Manchester United, Sir Matt survived Munich and rebuilt the club from the literal rubble of Old Trafford after the war to make United the first English team to win the European Cup.
8) Ron Atkinson – 50%
June 1981 – November 1986
Games: 292
Wins: 146
Draws: 79
Defeats: 67
Honours: Two FA Cups, Charity Shield
Big Ron looked set to end United’s title drought when they won their first 10 games and went unbeaten through the first 15 in 1985-86. But they fell away to finish fourth and three months into the following season, he was replaced by a fella hired from Aberdeen.
9) Tommy Docherty – 46.9%
December 1972 – July 1977
Games: 228
Wins: 107
Draws: 56
Defeats: 65
Honours: FA Cup, Second Division title
Docherty presided over a relegation in 1974 but time-served reds remember the Doc’s team that won the Second Division as one of the most entertaining sides they watched.
10) Dave Sexton – 40.3%
July 1977 – April 1981
Games: 201
Wins: 81
Draws: 64
Defeats: 56
Honours: Charity Shield (shared)
‘Whispering Dave’, seen as a safe option after Docherty was sacked for having an affair with the physio’s wife, finished with runners-up medals in the FA Cup in 1979 and the First Division a year later.
Read more: Who will be the next Man Utd manager if Ten Hag is sacked?