Manchester United must be true to their word after key Erik ten Hag interview question

A year ago, the idea of a manager having to sell Manchester United a "long-term vision" to return the club to the standards they expect would have seemed implausible. United were on their way to second in the Premier League and a European final, but that season behind closed doors was entirely forgettable and it turned out to be a mirage for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

This year a campaign that began with talk of a title challenge has turned into United's worst season in decades and a rebuilding job that would make Bob the Builder look for a new career. There can be no sugarcoating this dreadful season and the scale of the task facing Erik ten Hag, confirmed as the fifth permanent manager post-Sir Alex Ferguson on Thursday is monumental.

Ten Hag is the populist choice but he's come up on the rails, given Mauricio Pochettino looked like the strong favourite when Solskjaer was sacked in November. The Argentine's tribulations in Paris have possibly counted against him but Ten Hag's vision also impressed football director John Murtough and technical director Darren Fletcher.

READ MORE: Why United chose Ten Hag as their next manager

His commitment to playing exciting and attacking football around a youthful core isn't in doubt to anyone who has watched his Ajax teams, but the job at United is a sizeable one and it is how he will approach it that so impressed Murtough and Fletcher.

"During the past four years at Ajax, Erik has proved himself to be one of the most exciting and successful coaches in Europe, renowned for his team’s attractive, attacking football and commitment to youth," said Murtough.

“In our conversations with Erik leading up to this appointment, we were deeply impressed with his long-term vision for returning