Erik ten Hag should listen to Sir Alex Ferguson advice to succeed at Manchester United

Manchester United's former manager Sir Alex Ferguson knows a thing or two about being successful.

Erik ten Hag is the latest manager at Old Trafford to try and fill the enormous shoes that Ferguson vacated nine years ago. The Dutchman is the fifth permanent manager to occupy the club's dugout since Britain's most successful manager left United in 2013.

The Reds haven't won a league title since Ferguson's final season in charge and have finished outside of the Champions League places in five out of the past nine seasons. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho saw their sides finish second during previous attempts - although they were 12 and 19 points behind rivals Manchester City respectively.

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In recent times, managers at United have failed to deliver within the short-term and have not been shown the same level of trust that Ferguson was afforded when he became manager at Old Trafford. It is hard though to solely blame the recent failures at the club on the managerial position - United's hierarchy has come under constant scrutiny from the fans over the past decade.

United only appointed John Murtough as the club's inaugural football director last year, with Darren Fletcher becoming technical director. For a manager to succeed at a club, it is vital that he is not only given the time and investment to do so - but also the support of a well-operated football club away from the pitch.

Now that those positions are filled, Ten Hag will not be fighting with one arm tied behind his back like some of his predecessors. The Dutchman has a clear philosophy that he is looking to instil in his squad and will demand hard work and