Rene Meulensteen believes former employers Manchester United should have issued a statement explaining why they were axing club legend Sir Alex Ferguson’s ambassadorial contract when they made the surprise call in October
Rene Meulensteen believes former employers Manchester United should have issued a statement explaining why they were axing club legend Sir Alex Ferguson’s ambassadorial contract when they made the surprise call in October Rene Meulensteen believes former employers Manchester United should have issued a statement explaining why they were axing club legend Sir Alex Ferguson’s ambassadorial contract when they made the surprise call in October
Sir Alex Ferguson’s former assistant Rene Meulensteen has hit out at Manchester United for the way they handled the termination of the Old Trafford icon’s ambassadorial contract.
The 82-year-old will step down from his £2.16million-a-year role at the end of the season after being axed by INEOS in mid-October as part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ruthless cost-cutting measures.
And Meulensteen, who operated as Ferguson’s first-team coach between 2007 and 2013, thinks United should have at least issued a statement explaining the decision to prevent the “negativity” that has followed.
Meulensteen told Egyptian news channel Al Qahera: “I find it surprising that Ferguson’s contract as an ambassador has been terminated, given his history. However, I understand that this was discussed between the club and Sir Alex.
“It would have been wise for the club to issue a statement on the reasons so that it was clear to everyone.
“It would also have stopped any negative speculation and publicity surrounding this decision.
“As far as I know, he is still a member of the board and therefore still important to the club. In my opinion, it is essential to honour the contributions of such a pivotal figure in the club’s history.”
Meulensteen also offered his assessment of United’s appointment of Ruben Amorim, who leads his first match on Sunday away to Ipswich in the Premier League.
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Image:
John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)
The 60-year-old said of the Portuguese: “Amorim emerged as a promising coach at Sporting Lisbon, but whether or not he is the right fit for Manchester United will depend on his ability to adapt to the pressures of the Premier League. His tactical approach may be refreshing, but experience at a club of United’s stature is crucial.”
Amorim is the sixth permanent United boss since Ferguson retired back in 2013 after guiding the Red Devils to their last Premier League title.
Meulensteen feels the decision to sack Erik ten Hag was warranted, however, concluding: “In my opinion, Ten Hag faced significant challenges, including squad depth and injuries, and while he showed tactical intelligence, a lack of performance and inconsistent results hampered his success.
“The first season showed promise but he was never able to build a cohesive team during his second season. Despite winning the FA Cup, he was unable to improve the team during this season and the poor start in the league and Europe made the club decide to sack him.”
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