In the end, there was an air of inevitability about it. Manchester United's decision to sack (or is that relieve?) Ten Hag coming after defeat at West Ham on Sunday. A defeat decided by a poor VAR call from ref David Coote. One that even Mark Halsey deemed as wrong. The ex-Prem ref of 14 seasons slamming both Coote and VAR Michael Oliver after calling a penalty for Hammers sub Danny Ings as he clattered into Matthijs de Ligt.
Perhaps United would still have acted with a 1-1 draw in London? Either way, there is some irony that Ten Hag's time in charge was brought to an end by a dodgy refereeing decision. The Dutchman not quiet this season about how "bad luck" had engulfed his team and his plans.
But as we say, there will be relief for the Dutchman. A £15m payoff will cushion any blow to the ego he might feel. Of course, leaving the club in 14th place on the table. And with their chances of progress in the Europa League hanging by a thread. It doesn't make good reading.
But for this column, despite claims of otherwise coming from the club's exes, Ten Hag leaves United in a healthy position. Certainly he leaves a dressing room in better shape than the one he inherited.
The disruptive influences of Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard are no longer there. The rarely seen Anthony Martial has moved on. Jadon Sancho, Fred, Eric Bailly have also been pushed out. And there was the clash and departure of Cristiano Ronaldo. Some had outstayed their welcome. Others were dragging the dressing room down. Ten Hag arrived in that summer of '22 knowing he had to take on a squad riddled with cliques, leaks and player-power. And he managed to dismantle it. The underwhelming and underperforming have largely been jettisoned. This is a good squad of pros. Certainly, the undermining of past managers through locker room leaks wasn't the reason for Ten Hag's demise. No-one could accuse these players of downing tools or not playing for the manager.
It simply didn't work. Injuries. Form. The time needed to bed down summer arrivals. United have suffered in all cases this season. Though, it must be said, Ten Hag did make his own contribution. The constant tinkering with his line-up. The baffling decisions to withdraw the likes of Marcus Rashford and Amad just as they were hitting form. It was a complaint from this column and something which did influence the team's scratchy performances.
But on paper. Player for player. Ten Hag leaves his successor with a lot to work with. A world class goalkeeper in the very best traditions of a United No1 in Andre Onana. A potentially outstanding centre-half pairing in De Ligt and Lisandro Martinez. The exciting Kobbie Mainoo and the promise of Manuel Ugarte in midfield. And an attack of Rasmus Hojlund, Josh Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho. It'll need time. Patience. But in terms of potential, it's a spine as good as anything we've seen at United since the days of Sir Alex. There's youth. There's dynamism. And there's a balance to the team. As we say, on paper it has all the potential of something exciting.
Which Ten Hag did manage to deliver at times over his two-or-so years in charge. In the aftermath of Monday's announcement, much has been said of the performance at Wembley for the FA Cup final triumph against Manchester City. But as impressive as that was, for this column, the epic, seesawing quarterfinal against Liverpool surpassed that in terms of sheer entertainment. It offered everything that United could be under their now former manager. It was truly a throwback to the best days of Fergie.
Unfortunately, there were not enough of such days. And certainly nothing have reached those heights this season. But it was a promise of what this team could be.
So there'll be frustration for Ten Hag. He'll have wanted to have overseen the development of this young team. To see Mainoo, Garnacho and Hojlund reach their peak. To help De Ligt, Ugarte and Zirkzee find their feet.
But there'll also been relief. As we say, there was no undermining of the manager from inside the dressing room. That was the work of the top brass. The leaks over the past week of a meeting between United's chief exec Omar Berrada and Xavi, the former Barcelona coach, doing Ten Hag no favours. But it was in the same spirit as Jim Ratcliffe's approach. The club's co-owner never offered any public assurance to the manager. Indeed, his actions suggested the clear opposite.
Offering Gary Neville, who has traded public barbs with Ten Hag for 12 months, not only a place on the club's 'steering committee' regarding Old Trafford's future, but also an ambassador's role... well, it was just staggering. The manager, the captain and the team's most ardent critic. One who had even drawn push-back from Simon Jordan for his language towards Ten Hag and his players. It was he who would be welcomed back to the club by Ratcliffe. It's something the Glazers nor Martin Edwards would never have done to Sir Alex.
But Ratcliffe did just that. He drew his line in the sand. Ten Hag is gone. But the players, so lambasted by the club's former captain, remain. Navigating such bizarre subversion will now be the job of Ten Hag's successor.
So there will be some relief. Relief that he's out of the place. And also frustration. But as time rolls on. As this team comes together. You hope there'll be enough who recognise the foundations laid over the two years of this Erik ten Hag era.