michael van der gaag

Who has joined Erik ten Hag’s Man Utd coaching staff?

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In a turbulent first summer for new co-owners INEOS, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team have looked to make wholesale changes at Manchester United.

No department has gone untouched, with over 250 redundancies expected, after a plethora of new incomings, to revolutionise United’s structure and hierarchy.

From Omar Berrada as the new CEO to the departure of Mitchell van der Gaag, changes have been coming thick and thin.

This has made keeping up with all the alterations quite difficult, so this is a guide to all the big changes in Erik ten Hag’s coaching staff this summer.

Who has left?

Mitchel van der Gaag

Formally Ten Hag’s trusted number two, Van der Gaag was one of his assistant coaches at United. He followed Ten Hag from Ajax where they were both incredibly successful at imposing a dominant goal-scoring philosophy of football.

Publicly, Ten Hag said: “Now is a good time to refresh the coaching team as we look to build on the achievements of the past two years and push to the next level.

“Mitchell has decided that now is the right time for him to pursue his own ambitions in a number one position.”

However, The Athletic have suggested that such changes may have stemmed from those above.

Mark Critchley said: “Whose (Van der Gaag) style of coaching and communication led executives to consider a shake-up.”

Benni McCarthy

Upon the expiry of his two-year contract, Benni McCarthy also left United. Similarly to Van der Gaag, his departure came as a result of his desire to be a manager again.

McCarthy worked as a first-team coach and was praised for his role in getting Marcus Rashford back to his best, following poor seasons under Ralf Rangnick and the end of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign.

Steve McClaren

Working as one of Ten Hag’s assistant managers, Steve McClaren was a vital member of the Dutchman’s coaching staff. McClaren had previously been Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant back in 1999 for their historic treble.

With the reshuffle of the coaching staff, McClaren was expected to undertake a different role than he had previously but chose to leave after an opportunity opened up to be manager of the Jamaican football team.

Eric Ramsay

Although this was announced in late February, Eric Ramsay’s decision to leave United is still a significant one now. The Welshmen was hired in 2021 to be part of Solskjaer’s set-up as a first-team coach.

He was focused on player development and set pieces, gradually gaining more influence after Ten Hag’s arrival. Ultimately, his departure left a crucial hole in the Dutch coaches set up, which United have looked to fill this summer.

Richard Hartis

This exit reflects the shift in the requirements of the modern goalkeeper. Richard Hartis was a first-team goalkeeping coach. He began working for the club all the way back in 2001 for the academy, before becoming a first-team coach in the latter end of the 2007/08 season.

In 2011 he joined Solskjaer at Molde, and then Cardiff in 2014. Five years later he re-joined United in 2019. But this season, United have looked to bring in a more modern goalkeeper coach, who can promote the ball-playing abilities of goalkeepers.

Richard Merron and John Davin

The departure of two first-team physios. Richard Merron was at United for 23 years and in his present role since 2017. Likewise, John Davin has been at United since 1997.

Both exits symbolise Gary O’Driscoll’s (United’s head of sports medicine since 2023) reshaping of the medical department.

Robin Sadler

Like Ramsay, Sadler left the club in February 2024, but his departure is another example of O’Driscoll’s audit.

He was the head of rehabilitation and physiotherapy for three years but the Irishman felt it was right to remove Sadler.

Who has joined?

Ruud van Nistelrooy

18 years after he left the club, Ruud van Nistelrooy has made his great return. The Dutch icon has joined Ten Hag’s staff as one of his assistant coaches. He’s previously had experience at PSV, working his way up from the U17’s to first team manager.

He left the Dutch side, however, due to a lack of support from the management. As a player, Van Nistelrooy was all about goal-scoring. He was one of the best finishers, if not the best the club has ever seen.

The club will be hoping he can teach United’s forwards some of his old ways, particularly after such a low-scoring campaign last season.

Rene Hake

In a familiar path this summer, yet another Dutchman has been added to the coaching staff. Rene Hake has decided to leave his managerial role at Eredivisie side Go Ahead Eagles, to become Ten Hag’s other assistant manager.

For Hake, a move of this calibre could not be turned down.

He said: “This was a no-brainer in that way.”

Hake has been managing since 2003, so his experience could be a vital addition to the coaching staff.

Similar styles are essential for it all to work though, but Rene is confident in this.

He said: “It was nice when we met each other and talked a lot about our philosophy, our way of work.

“When we talked about it, [we realised] we have a lot of connection in that. I think that we can be very strong to help our manager, to bring it to a higher level.”

Jelle ten Rouwelaar

In a huge surprise, United have brought in another Dutch coach. Jelle ten Rouwelaar is a modern goalkeeper coach, whose arrival is hoped to improve Andre Onana and the rest of the goalkeeping team. Transitioning away from Hartis’ methods, Ten Rouwelaar can modernise United’s set-up.

He was previously working for Vincent Kompany’s Burnley, who were praised for their ability to play out from the back in their Championship title-winning season.  Although their year in the Premier League wasn’t incredibly successful, the roots of Ten Rouwelaar’s work are clear to see.

Andreas Georgson

For years, United have struggled with all things set pieces. Defending them, attacking them, they just can’t succeed. As of April 30th 2024, United sat 15th in the table for set-piece goals, scoring just eight, four off 20th placed Burnley and 12 off Arsenal at the top.

But the hiring of Andreas Georgson could change everything.

Georgson is renowned for his expertise in set piece coaching, having previously worked at Brentford, Arsenal, Malmo, Southampton and recently Lillestrom.

If Georgson can have half the impact he’s had at his former clubs, then United could improve significantly at set pieces this season.

Jordan Reece

After hiring Gary O’Driscoll from Arsenal as head of sports medicine last summer, Jordan Reece has also been acquired from ‘The Gunners’.

He had worked as Arsenal’s head physio for four years and United will hope that he can improve the injury problems that have been plaguing the club recently.