Sports

Erik ten Makes Final Man Utd Asst Manager Decision After Van Persie Offer

Published

3 years ago

Apr 17, 2022.

Benard Joseph

Erik ten Hag Makes Final Man Utd Assistant Manager Decision After Robin van Persie Offer.
Erik ten Hag will bring his Ajax assistant Mitchell van der Gaag with him to Manchester United.

EDITOR’S PICK

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the incoming Manchester United boss, Erik ten Hag has decided who will join him as his assistant manager as he pieces together his Old Trafford backroom staff, with Robin van Persie primed for the role.

Erik ten Hag will bring his Ajax assistant Mitchell van der Gaag with him to Manchester United – almost nine years after the Dutchman suffered a heart scare on the touchline.

Van der Gagg was in charge of Lisbon-based Belenenses in September 2013 when he was taken ill during a game against former club Maritimo.

He was fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator – the same device that has enabled Brentford’s Christian Eriksen to play again following his cardiac arrest at the Euros.

Van der Gagg has regular medical check-ups – and over the last three years has become an influential sounding board for Ten Hag at Ajax.

The 50-year-old will follow Ten Hag to Manchester after the Dutchman told United he wanted Van der Gagg to be his assistant rather than former Reds coach Steve McClaren.

As revealed earlier this month, Ten Hag also wants to bring Robin van Persie onto his backroom staff. Van Persie, who currently works in Feyenoord’s academy and is taking his coaching badges, remains undecided about the offer.

Van Persie, who scored 58 goals in 105 appearances for United between 2012 and 2015, is interested in working in the Premier League again although his family situation complicates the situation.

Van Persie’s son, Shaqueel, only recently put pen to paper on his first contract with Feyenoord and the talented youngster – who signed for Manchester City’s academy when his father was at United – is working alongside his dad in the Dutch club’s youth system.

A return to Old Trafford does not look on the cards for McLaren, who was Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant when United won the Champions League in 1999 and had two spells in the Netherlands as manager of FC Twente where he guided them to their first-ever Eredivisie title.

FURTHER READING

McClaren’s last job in management was at Queen’s Park Rangers during the 2018-19 season. Although he has worked with Derby County, who are managed by former United star Wayne Rooney.

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