Erik ten Hag remains convinced he will succeed at Manchester United despite losing both of his first two matches in charge. Ten Hag became the first United manager since John Chapman in 1921 to lose his first two matches and defeat to Liverpool on Monday night would equal Chapman’s unfavourable start. United have not lost their first three fixtures of a new season since 1986 and Ron Atkinson was sacked as manager three months later to be replaced by Alex Ferguson. United have not beaten Liverpool in the Premier League since March 2018 and their only win against their rivals in the last nine encounters came in the FA Cup fourth round in January last year. Since Marcus Rashford’s matchwinning double with Jose Mourinho as manager, Liverpool have won the Champions League, the European Super Cup, the Premier League, the Club World Cup, the League Cup, the FA Cup and the Community Shield while United’s trophy drought has passed the five-year mark.
Erik Ten Hag said: “For me personally, that’s never the issue. I’m not here for myself, I’m here for the club and to restore the club. I knew before this is a challenge and I wanted this challenge. I knew before it was going to be hard but I wanted that because in my career, everywhere I started, the start was difficult but I get it done, and I’m convinced I get it done here as well. Therefore I choose this project, I knew it’s a process and I will stay consistent to the philosophy and to the plan we had, and I keep confidence in the cooperation I have in the players and also the team around, the coaches and the directors. I made that conclusion already that it could be (a difficult start). But you also see the potential of this team in pre-season, so now we have to work together to get the good performances back on the pitch.”
Ten Hag hooked £55.3million signing Lisandro Martinez at half-time with United 4-0 down at Brentford last week but the centre-back could keep his place for the visit of Liverpool as Ten Hag is considering dropping Harry Maguire, with Raphael Varane expected to come in for his first start of the season. Ten Hag coached Martinez for two years at Ajax and defended the Argentinian despite his chastening start
Erik Ten Hag said: “I don’t think it was a tough 45 minutes or more than any other player on the pitch. I saw the stats: he won his aerial duels, he won his challenges, he was good in the passing, but he also made some mistakes as the whole team did. I could’ve swapped 11 players.”
Erik ten Hag insists that Cristiano Ronaldo still has a key role to play at Manchester United despite being dropped for the 2-1 win against Liverpool on Monday. Ten Hag took a massive risk with his selection for the game, dropping club captain Harry Maguire as well as the club’s highest earner, Ronaldo. The gamble paid off with a much improved performance against one of the leading sides in European football, but Ten Hag insists Ronaldo still has a role to play for the rest of the season despite being snubbed from the start.
Erik Ten Hag said: “The demand is for everyone, including the manager. We have to deliver. You have an obligation to the club, to the fans. This is a massive club with a huge fanbase, and we have to deliver that. We have to act as a team, and every individual, every day, has to give their best. That is the demand for the manager and also for the team.”
When asked specifically about Ronaldo’s own role in the side,
Erik Ten Hag added: “I think he can (adapt), and in his whole career and under several managers, he did. Several styles and systems. He always performed. Why can’t he do this?”
When Ronaldo’s age was pointed out by a reporter,
Erik Ten Hag responded: “And? His age is not an issue. If you are young, you are good enough, and when you are old, you still deliver the performance, you are also good enough.”
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag stunned Sky Sports’ pundits after delivering the F-bomb while reflecting on his side’s 2-1 win over Liverpool at Old Trafford on Monday evening. Considering they entered the clash with Jurgen Klopp’s side off the back of a 4-0 drubbing at Brentford just over a week earlier, it was a complete contrast to the performance they produced in the capital. And for Ten Hag, it was the attitude of his players that made all the difference.
Erik Ten Hag said: “I wanted a different approach, a different attitude and that is what they brought on the pitch. That’s what makes me satisfied. It’s only the start and we have to remain humble. We can play much better if we have a little bit more composure, give an extra pass, and then we can be much more dangerous, but first we have to become a team. Then you will act, that is what we saw today in moments. But when you have to make the game, you have to be better on the ball.”
United’s performance at Brentford was greeted with a wave of justified criticism, with Ten Hag’s tactics coming under fire. However, their display against Liverpool highlighted that attitude and application being right can make just as big a difference. And Ten Hag pointed that out by waxing lyrical about his players while dropping the F-bomb to leave an on-looking Roy Keane stunned.
Erik ten Hag added: “We can talk about tactics, but it’s all about attitude. Obviously we bring attitude onto the pitch, there was communication, fighting spirit and you can see what they can achieve because they can f****** play football.”
Erik ten Hag decided to cancel Manchester United players’ day off last Sunday during their shambolic thrashing by Brentford. United were trounced 4-0 at the Community Stadium in their last game and the players were hauled in for an unscheduled training session the next day. Ten Hag had allocated the United players two days off after the Brentford fixture as there was a nine-day gap until the visit of Liverpool, but he presided over an intense session at Carrington that a source said left the players “in ruins”.
Erik Ten Hag said: “I took the decision on Saturday, actually during the game, when I saw the performance. That is not the standard for Man United and actually it’s not my standard. We had to change that. I have to face the team, the players what the standard is, that we don’t accept this. It’s not a problem. I hope they are angry but angry with themselves, angry with each other that they didn’t take each other in responsibility. When I say it’s not acceptable, you can’t deliver for yourself, for the team, for Man United and for all the fans of Man United. To face the team, the attitude is not right. You have to bring at least the same as the opponent but when I say at least, we have to do more than the opponent in and out of possession. We are in a process, sometimes you have a drop and you tell them, you face them, that’s unacceptable. In every process, this element is coming up. One of the points as a manager is that you have to work on attitude and mentality of the players. That’s what I’m doing. This is the first time since June 27 that I was not happy and not satisfied with them and I told them.”
Ten Hag disputed the suggestion his potentially confrontational act in ordering the United players in less than 24 hours after the Brentford humbling could backfire. “No. I think every manager will demand it from his players and it’s normal. It’s your obligation to the club to fight and give 100%.
Erik Ten Hag said: “I’m not interested in the reason why (the players lacked fighting spirit at Brentford). They just have to deliver. That is my obligation and theirs. Don’t get me wrong, when I talk about players and I want to emphasise that, I’m in the same boat as well. When we are not in the right attitude, I’m not as well. We win together, we lose together. That cannot happen. It’s a signal, we don’t have to make it bigger. I think it’s now a really big story, but that’s not necessary because again, it’s the first occasion that it’s happened.”
Former United interim manager Ralf Rangnick hired sports psychologist Sascha Lense last season but the German has not stayed on at the club. Ten Hag admitted after the opening weekend defeat to Brighton that United players lack self-belief and, although he is a believer in sports psychology, he insisted the onus is on the players.
Ralf Rangnick said: “Yes I believe, but the main thing is you have to get there by yourself and already said: how? You cannot do more than you can but do what you can. That is the philosophy, the plan, the game plan: follow the rules, follow the principles, play as a team.”
