Manchester United coaching change could test relationship between Erik ten Hag and Ineos appointment

Erik ten Hag will have felt like he was being watched when Jason Wilcox turned up at Manchester United training with Sir Dave Brailsford and Sir Jim Ratcliffe towards the end of the season. And he would be right.

This was Wilcox just doing his job and although Ten Hag cut a defiant figure in his media engagements, he would have known in the final weeks of the season that he was fighting for his future at Old Trafford.

Wilcox was appointed technical director by Ineos and instructed to develop a 'game model' at United, a way of playing that could be coached across the club. He has been in regular communication with Ten Hag but it is inevitable the Dutchman would have felt this was stepping on his toes, at least a little.

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A highly-rated figure from his time at Manchester City and Southampton, Wilcox has had plenty of power in his early days at United, with sporting director Dan Ashworth still on gardening leave from Newcastle. Wilcox was tasked with watching training, seeing Ten Hag up close and offering his thoughts to Ineos on his methods, the buy-in from players and if anything needed to change.

That feedback remains a closely guarded secret, while Brailsford also met with the playing squad individually to get their thoughts. Whatever was said, it ended with Ten Hag just about clinging on.

That doesn't mean change isn't coming. Nearly two weeks after the Ibiza summit that kept him in post, a new contract is yet to be agreed. Issues around job title and how big a say Ten Hag has in transfers will be pivotal.

There is also the possibility of changes being made to his coaching staff, which could be another key dividing line between Ten Hag and Ineos. It was reported on Sunday that Ruud van Nistelrooy had been approached to be part of the coaching staff next season and MEN Sport understands he is considering a return.

The former United striker has already managed PSV Eindhoven and is in the frame to take over at Burnley. He would be a high-profile appointment and the dynamic between the countrymen would be fascinating.

Ten Hag won't be willing to lose his right-hand man Mitchell van der Gaag, while Steve McClaren remains a key sounding board. Ten Hag was pleased with Benni McCarthy's input last season but the South African is out of contract at the end of this month and his future is still up in the air.

McCarthy would appear to be the coach most vulnerable if a new voice is brought in. He is keen to continue his coaching journey in Europe if his time with the club he supported as a boy comes to an end.

The make-up of Ten Hag's coaching staff next season will tell us a little more about his relationship with Ineos and maybe even Wilcox, who is in charge of recruitment as well this summer. He could accept the need for new ideas and some fresh input, something Sir Alex Ferguson was the master of. Or he could dig his heels in and insist the standard of coaching already in place is good enough.