Absent for games and complaining about stories - why Manchester United had to change coaches

Steve McClaren was driven into Carrington on Monday morning. His exuberant coaching sessions may be tempered in the first weeks of pre-season as onlookers said McClaren emerged from his car on crutches.

He was at least back in the building. Colleagues on the coaching staff who drove into Carrington daily last season are no longer Manchester United employees while three new faces were ferried in past security.

United recorded their worst league finish in 34 years with a minus goal difference and took the wooden spoon in their Champions League group. Heads had to roll. The head coach's didn't.

But the new Ineos cabal wanted heads on a plate. So Benni McCarthy and Richard Hartis have got the chop. United are yet to confirm if Ten Hag's assistant, Mitchell van der Gaag, has as well.

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United have not actually confirmed the appointments of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Rene Hake and Jelle ten Rouwelaar. The stories about their arrivals were written last month and last week and they have all been pictured at Carrington.

The word is United are waiting to obtain working visas. An in-principle statement would have sufficed and United could have wrested some control of the story.

United will go hot and heavy on the return of club great Van Nistelrooy in the hope the giddiness glosses over Ineos foisting new coaches onto Ten Hag whilst depriving him of some time-served allies.

It smacks of compromise. Three new staff but they are all Dutch, giving the illusion Ten Hag is still in control. The seniority of Van Nistelrooy and Hake, previously the managers of PSV Eindhoven and Go Ahead Eagles, possibly dilutes his