Erik ten Hag tells Man Utd bosses they need to back him through downs as well as ups to stop dressing room turning sour
ERIK TEN HAG has told the new management team above him at Manchester United that they need to back him through the downs as well as the ups.
Ten Hag narrowly avoided the sack at the end of last season after beating Manchester City in the FA Cup.
It still took time for the new men running the club led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe to decide to back him, with Sir David Brailsford visiting the manager on his holiday in Ibiza to deliver the news.
Now, Ten Hag says he needs to see real proof of that faith which will come if they have a tough period this season.
The boss said: “I feel that we have built something and that the people around me are in the same boat.
“But of course you have to prove that point when that’s the case, but what I hope is that we avoid this.
“For me, it’s important that we are together and that we are working together and when you work together you are in good moments together – but also in bad moments.
“When it’s being questioned on the outside then of course that will flow into a team and that is not helpful in achieving success.”
The United boss laid down the law to Brailsford in that Ibiza meeting during which he learned the club had spoken to Thomas Tuchel about taking his job.
He felt the lack of backing from the top could have filtered into the dressing room last season as the club finished eighth and does not want to see that happen again.
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Ten Hag said: “I’m very comfortable and also at that time I felt very comfortable because I believe in myself.
“But of course it will help if there is very good communication and of course it’s helpful when you feel the backing from the leadership group.
“That helps because then you know what you’re building to, that you do it together.
“When you are in a very good, very strong bond that gives you confidence, gives you belief. Also the dressing room, they will feel this, they will feel this strong belief that will bed into the dressing room and bed onto the pitch.”
New part owner Ratcliffe has brought in Jason Wilcox as technical director, Dan Ashworth as the sporting director and Omar
Berrada as the new CEO.
Ten Hag says they are all building relationships and he wants them to prove they are all on the same page.
He said: “I know when you are together you achieve more success and I am here to win. But we want to win, so I have to feel this and when I feel this, we will win.
“We have good people. With highly competent people, they will contribute to more success and I don’t think negative.
“I feel positive and I feel very aligned, they are here, we are building those relationships and, as I said, we have to prove this point during the season and the next coming years, how strong we are.”
Man Utd‘s season gets underway in a rematch against Man City in the Community Shield on August 10.
They then kick-off the Premier League season on August 16 versus Fulham.
Rashford injury update
By Neil Custis
ERIK TEN HAG is hopeful Marcus Rashford will be ready for the new season and ready to get back to his very best.
Rashford was running the show in the 3-2 win against Real Betis in San Diego when he hobbled off in pain after a heavy challenge on his ankle.
United already have Rasmus Hojlund sidelined for six weeks with a hamstring injury and new signing Leny Yoro out for three months with a metatarsal.
But Ten Hag is confident Rashford will recover from his injury quickly and will even asses whether he or Antony, who went off late against Betis with a knock, can play in Saturday’s night’s game against Liverpool in Columbia South Carolina which kicks off in the early hours of Sunday in UK.
Speaking about Rashford, Ten Hag said: “I think not too bad. I think he will progress quickly from this knock.
“Of course, we don’t take risks in the last game of the tour going into the season next week already.
The final assessment we have to make and we will see if they are ready for the game against Liverpool on Saturday.”
Rashford looked back to his best as he scored from the spot and provided an assist in the win over Real Betis.
It comes after a season in which his off-field partying and poor form on the pitch saw him fall foul of the Manchester United manager and fall out Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the Euros.
But Ten Hag has faith in him and wants the 26-year-old to prove his doubters wrong.
He said: “Of course, but he has to prove his point. We will set the conditions and he is very capable of doing this.
“The season before last he scored 30 goals, so when he is in the right vibe, then he has such a high potential.
“And when he is really in that mood, then our model will provide him the conditions to score again 30 or even more goals. He should fight for it.”
But Ten Hag does not want a repeat of incidents off the field last season – like when he celebrated his birthday in a city centre venue after United had been hammered 3-0 at home by Manchester City last October.
Or when he was still out in Belfast in the early hours when he was supposed to be training ahead of an FA Cup tie against Newport.
Ten Hag said: “I think when you want to play in top football nowadays, you need discipline on and off the pitch.
“It was always important, but it gets more and more important now because it’s the survival of the fittest.
“You are not a robot, you are not a machine. No one is. You can only deliver the levels of performance when you do the things right.
“When you don’t do the things right on and off the pitch, then you can’t perform.”
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