Manchester United metamorphosis by Ten Hag / Premier League / J20 / Manchester United-Manchester City (2-1) / SOFOOT.com
In six months, Erik ten Hag has transformed a club that has struggled since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement. By establishing new rules, greater standards and higher expectations, the Dutchman is taking steps to re-install the club at the top, where it came from, where it should be. . The statement made after the victory over rival Manchester City (2-1) this Saturday is more correct.
Erik ten Hag’s life in Manchester hasn’t always been as good as it was after that big win over neighbors City on this Saturday in January. You only have to go back to August 14, 2022 to remember it. Manchester United players arrived at Carrington, their training center, after the humiliation at Brentford (4-0) the day before. A rest day was originally scheduled, but the team is bottom of the Premier League and the situation is serious. They don’t know yet, but they’re about to run, 13.8 kilometers, that’s the difference between the distance he’s covered. Bees (109.4 km) covers Red devils (95.6 km). An idea from Manchester United manager Eric ten Haag came from Ajax Amsterdam last season, but the idea alone symbolizes the cultural change he wants to put in place.
“During forty years of discussions with him, I have never once been right in the end. And I don’t ever remember hearing him say, “I’m wrong.” » Leon ten Voorde, his childhood friend
CRxit and the salary cap
Adding to his on-field woes, the Dutch coach has seen a troubled start to the season off the pitch, with Cristiano Ronaldo looking to leave the club’s top scorer last season. The start of his mandate, which begins in April 2022, is not easy. When the Portuguese legend fails to find a way out in Europe and the death knell of the summer transfer window rings, he finds himself stuck among replacements. CR7 does not want to follow the new coach’s tactical demands of pressing and working without the ball. Despite criticism from many who argue that we can’t bench such a player, Ten Hag is staying the course. Not surprising when you know his character. “During forty years of discussions with him, I have never once been right in the end.Leon ten Vorden, a childhood friend of the Dutchman, revealed SoFoot. And I don’t ever remember hearing him say, “I’m wrong.” » Given the performance of his players, who have improved in CR7’s absence, it’s hard to prove him wrong in his handling of the situation.
Vincent brought Lagaf back!
After the departure of the Portuguese star, the management introduced a new law in the club: “Ronaldo rule”. This rule, which stipulates that no player’s salary can exceed £200,000 a week, is named after the former number 7. Red devils, who was on £515,000-a-week until his departure. With this salary cap, the leaders want to eliminate jealousy among players and avoid big spending. David de Gea, the second highest earner in the Championship on £375,000 a week, is directly affected by the move. If his lease expires at the end of the season, the club would offer him a contract extension under this new salary cap.
Sports direction to follow
For the first transfer window at the Mancunian club, Ten Hag has not been idle. Although the ex-Ajax midfielder failed to win over Frenkie de Jong, the long-serving 52-year-old brought in some familiar faces from his former club this summer: South Americans Lisandro Martinez and Antoni. Participating in central defense alongside Raphaël Varane, Martínez quickly convinced and silenced the skeptics. Their hinges look like the club’s best pairing since Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, and answer to the Mancunian’s true woes in recent years due to disappointing signings in the position, such as Harry Maguire, the most expensive defender in history, or the Sweden international. Victor Lindelof. Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord, another Eredivisie international, has also been involved, as has Christian Eriksen from Amsterdam.
“The club has bought an incredible number of players in recent years who are not good enough. Most of the signings are mediocre, and mediocre isn’t good enough at Manchester United. » Erik ten Hag at Voetbal International
The real revolution came at the end of August, after the team’s poor start to the league (two defeats, one goal, six conceded in as many games), with the arrival of one of the best defensive midfielders of his generation: Casemiro. A very high class player, a five-time Champions League winner, who perfectly lives up to Ten Hag’s expectations. There, too, he filled a glaring void: since the decline of Nemanja Matic’s diet, the team has been orphaned by a true No. 6, and a replacement has never been sought or found. “You need personalities to get that culture change in the locker roomconfirmed Ten Hag in his columns Voetbal International. That’s why it was so important to get Casemiro. He can speed up the process because he knows what it takes to win titles. » Far from the disappointment of the past, recruiting has paid off so far. “The club has bought an incredible number of players in recent years who are not good enoughtouched the Dutchman, still VII. Most of the signings are mediocre, and mediocre isn’t good enough at Manchester United. » A strong statement worthy of renewed expectations. A symbol of greater demand during the Dutchman’s reign, Diogo Dalot, one of this season’s biggest developments, attests to this change on the Manchester United website: “From the day I arrived, I knew that I had to be at the best level to play as Eric ten Haag wanted. »
Righteous Devils
The Dutch coach has zero tolerance for delays, even if it means depriving himself of the best player of the moment, Marcus Rashford. Arriving minutes after the start of the team meeting, the England international was immediately penalized for leaving the starting line-up for the match against Wolverhampton. But Caillou de Haaksbergen does not always stick to his position. in trouble with monstersthe technician enters the number 10, which will result in a win Red devils at the end of the game (1:0). In addition to being strict about punctuality, Ten Hag banned private chefs. On game days, players eat food prepared by the club. He has also banned alcohol during match weeks, revised the menu to include more fish and vegetables and has players’ body mass index checked monthly.
Even balloons go step by step.
The former Twente player has been in charge of the club’s U23 team for the past few days in a bid to ease the way for young players to reach the first team. From his position as supervisor, he is the one who decides the positions and playing times of the youngsters, leaving the day-to-day management to Neil Wood to be in direct contact with the Mancunian pool. From the experience he already used during his time at Ajax Amsterdam. “For me, collaboration between all the different departments is very important to get the right culture at the club.analyzes Ten Hag in his columns Daily Mirror. As in Ajax, the reserve team was isolated when they came to Manchester United. I changed it immediately. » All these changes paid off on the spot. In just 27 games, Ten Hag became the fastest manager in the club’s history to reach 20 wins. While Manchester United have been searching for their former glory for several years, Eric ten Hag managed to create a stronger institution and breathe new life into a slowly dying club. “The most important thing when I arrived was to change the culture of the club” , he recently claimed. It is done now. The current Premier League third is still fighting in four different competitions. Manchester United, well on their way to success, are no longer chasing trophies to compensate for the distance lost in matches.
By Alexander Ross
