At the end of his illustrious career at Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson was invited by Harvard Business School to join the faculty on a long-term teaching deal in executive education. One of the greatest football managers of all time, Ferguson was excited to share his leadership journey in the Harvard classroom.

“I felt that if I’m helping young people progress through their own routes to management, then ultimately that was an important and compelling factor for me.”

His involvement with Harvard originated with a case study on Ferguson’s management techniques, developed by Anita Elberse, one of the youngest women ever to earn tenure at HBS.  In her article Ferguson’s Formula she explains, “He could speak very clearly to the idea of how to manage teams and how to build for the long term.”

During his 26 years at Old Trafford, Sir Alex won 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups and two UEFA Champions Leagues – more trophies than any other manager in the history of football. 

But the fairytale didn’t start well, and may hold lessons for the current United manager Erik ten Hag and the owners of the club.

In a week when critics are clamouring for ten Hag to be sacked after the worst start to a Premier League season, and a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, he insists he has the board’s backing and both parties were aligned on how to move forward.

“We are all on one page together, the ownership, the leadership group, the staff and the players’ group as well,” he said.

But the decisions of the club in the past 11 years don’t bode well for the embattled ten Hag. Since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down in 2013, on the back of their last Premier League title, Manchester United have had five managers and two caretaker managers. 

What lessons should be learned from Fergie’s tenure, and what advice would Harvard Business School professors give to the board? 

Ferguson and the Theatre of Dreams

Sir Alex Ferguson arrived at Old Trafford in 1986 on a wave of expectation, having lead Aberdeen to three Scottish Premier Division titles, four Scottish Cups, and the 1983 European Cup Winners’ Cup, beating Real Madrid in the final.

But his first three years at the club were far from glorious, failing to win any trophies and sliding down the league. Things got worse in his fourth season, with a 5-1 thrashing by local rivals Manchester City and the growing threat of a relegation battle.

Fans were not impressed, and during a home defeat to Crystal Palace a banner read, ‘3 years of excuses and it’s still crap… Tara Fergie.’

Hardly a day went by with stories in the newspapers that Ferguson was going to lose his job. The then chairman, Martin Edwards claims that the manager’s position was never under threat. But former board member Michale Knighton recalls a match at Old Trafford on New Year’s Day 1990 when Edwards whispered to him, ‘we’ve got to be talking about the manager.’

A week later, in a third-round FA Cup tie against Nottingham Forest, a little-known player from the Red Devils’ youth programme, Mark Robins scored the game’s only goal. 

United went on to win the FA Cup that year, and from that point the silverware started to flow. By the end of the decade Ferguson was a knight of the realm; his sporting immortality secured by Manchester United’s unprecedented Treble.

Sport is filled with sliding door moments. Or as Fergie might describe it, “squeaky bum time.”

How the board can support the boss

Football is a results-driven game. The average tenure of a manager across Europe’s top divisions in 2023 was less than 16 months, according to UEFA. Business is equally results-driven, but the average tenure of CEOs was 8.1 years, according to the Russell Reynolds CEO Turnover Index.

While soccer managers and CEOs often take the brunt of the blame, the board – whether of Manchester United or a Fortune 500 company – has a critical role to play in providing support during turbulent times.

Business school professors, who specialise in leadership, strategy, and organisational behaviour offer valuable insights into how the board can support United’s Ten Hag, and improve the long-term performance of the club.

• Clear Vision and Alignment

One of the key principles from leadership experts is the importance of a clear and shared vision. According to Dr. Michael Porter, a professor at Harvard Business School known for his work on competitive strategy, organisations thrive when leaders and boards are aligned in their vision for success.

In the context of Manchester United, the board must ensure that there is a unified, long-term strategy in place that Ten Hag can follow. In football, as in business, short-term pressures can often lead to hasty decisions that derail long-term success. The board must resist the temptation to panic in response to a few poor results and instead reinforce their confidence in the vision that brought Ten Hag to the club in the first place.

According to Dr. Porter, a strong, aligned vision creates stability, allowing managers to work without fear of being undermined. By establishing and communicating a clear strategy—whether it’s focusing on youth development, tactical evolution, or a return to United’s attacking football philosophy—the board can give Ten Hag the confidence to execute his plans without distraction.

• Resources and Trust

Professor Henry Mintzberg, a prominent academic in management at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management and founder of the International Masters Programme for Managers (IMPM), emphasises the importance of trust between a board and its leadership team. He suggests that leaders are at their best when they feel trusted and empowered. This principle applies to football as well.

Erik ten Hag was brought in to reshape Manchester United, but without the full backing of the board in terms of resources and autonomy, his effectiveness will be limited. The board must provide Ten Hag with the necessary tools, both in terms of financial investment and infrastructure. More than just new signings, this can include additional coaching staff, or upgraded facilities.

Ignoring a manager’s insights is akin to ignoring the advice of a CEO; it erodes trust and compromises performance. Supporting Ten Hag doesn’t mean unlimited spending, but it does require ensuring that the resources provided match the club’s ambitions.

• Create a Learning Environment

Professor Amy Edmondson of Harvard Business School advocates for the concept of “psychological safety” in organisations. She argues that teams perform better when they are encouraged to learn from failures, rather than being punished for them.

Mistakes will inevitably happen during any manager’s tenure, and how those mistakes are handled can be pivotal to long-term success. Manchester United’s board can create a culture where Ten Hag feels safe to experiment and take calculated risks. Football, much like business, involves navigating a competitive landscape where innovation and adaptability are crucial. If Ten Hag fears reprisal for short-term failures, he is more likely to play it safe, which may lead to stagnation.

By creating an environment that encourages reflection and learning, the board can help foster a culture of continuous improvement. The board must recognise that transformation takes time, and by focusing on long-term growth rather than immediate results, they will create a more sustainable pathway for success. Rather than demanding immediate success, the board should encourage Ten Hag to innovate, providing him with the support necessary to implement his ideas fully.

• Managing External Pressures

Business school experts also emphasise the importance of managing external stakeholders. Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer of Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business notes that one of the biggest challenges for leaders is navigating external pressures from the media, fans, and other stakeholders.

In the high-stakes world of football, the board has a responsibility to shield the manager from the daily noise of the media and public opinion. It’s vital for the board to control the narrative around the club. Publicly backing Ten Hag in times of crisis can reduce media speculation about his future and help maintain stability within the team.

A united front between the board and the manager sends a powerful message to the fans and players, creating an environment of support and shared accountability. In addition, the board should act as a buffer between the manager and the intense scrutiny that comes with managing a top club like Manchester United. Regular, proactive communication with the media, outlining the club’s long-term strategy, can help alleviate some of the pressure on Ten Hag, allowing him to focus on his responsibilities on the pitch.

• Patience and Consistency

Finally, Professor Jim Collins, author of the best-selling business book “Good to Great“, underscores the importance of patience and consistency in building lasting success. Collins argues that the best organisations are those that stay the course even when faced with adversity. In football terms, this means resisting the urge to change managers frequently—a problem that has plagued Manchester United in the post-Ferguson era.

To truly support Erik ten Hag, the Manchester United board must recognise that building a winning team is a gradual process. Short-term struggles are not necessarily indicative of long-term failure. By showing patience, the board can foster a culture of consistency, which is often a hallmark of successful teams.

Perhaps the final words of encouragement should go to Sir Alex Ferguson.

“Don’t play the occasion, play the game. The experience of defeat, or more particularly the manner in which a leader reacts to it, is an essential part of what makes a winner.”

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