We’re taking decisive action’ – Man United chief exec Richard Arnold begs angry fans to be patient

Manchester United chief executive, Richard Arnold has pleaded with fans to be patient as new coach Erik ten Hag tries to turn things around at the club.  This comes after fans’ protest at United’s final home games of the season before interim boss Ralf Rangnick handed over to Ten Hag as the club suffered a poor Premier League season. Arnold, who took over from Ed Woodward in February, admits United’s performances weren’t good enough but hopes Ten Hag’s arrival from Ajax will help turn things around. ‘Everyone at the club, from the owners down, accepts that performances this season have been well below what we expect.,’ said Arnold. ‘Suffice to say, we are not happy with where we are in terms of performance on the pitch. ‘We are taking decisive action to improve things and there is huge commitment and passion across the club to return to where we think we belong – challenging for, and winning, titles. ‘We feel confidence that change is coming because of the action being taken to drive long-term success. The appointment of Erik ten Hag was the most visible example of that action, and the most important. We’re pleased to have got that done early and we can’t wait for Erik to get started. ‘Success won’t be achieved overnight but we are determined to get there, and we will be relentless in our efforts to achieve it. ‘I would very much hope that all fans within Old Trafford approach next season with renewed optimism and confidence as we look forward to a fresh start under Erik ten Hag.’ On fans protesting, Arnold added: ‘We understand fans are frustrated and want to see change and improvement. I can assure you that we share that frustration very intensely within the club. ‘Football is a game of passion and we fully respect fans’ right to make their feelings known, as long as this remains legal and peaceful at all times. We have a duty of care to the fans who come to enjoy games, and to our staff who enable games to go ahead, and their safety will always be our priority. ‘We have the best fans in the world and when Old Trafford is at its loudest we have a significant advantage against our opponents. I hope this unrivalled passion will be used to support the team and the new manager as we start this exciting new chapter together.’