Krishnan Sreekumar
Erik ten Hag was critical of Manchester United in his interview, reveals Red Devils source
According to The Sun, the potential incoming manager of Manchester United, Erik ten Hag, was extremely critical of the club in his interview process that the English side conducted as part of their recruitment drive for a new boss.
ten Hag is currently in charge of Ajax Amsterdam and has been extremely successful in Holland with the side, winning back-to-back Eredivisie titles and lifting a couple of domestic cup competitions during his tenure with the team.
This season as well, the 52-year-old is on course to lead the Dutch giants to a domestic double as the Amsterdam side sits on top of the league table to complete a hat-trick of titles, as well as add a KNVB Cup to their trophy cabinet.
Given how impressive ten Hag has been, there can be no surprise about United’s technical director Darren Fletcher and football director John Murtough flying out last month to interview the Ajax boss for the manager vacancy at Old Trafford.
“The other way round”
However, the Red Devils officials faced a complete shock during the meeting, as the interviewee laid into exactly what he feels is wrong with United. The Dutchman is said to have “ripped the United set-up apart”, criticising the scouting and recruitment policy of the English club.
A high-placed source from the Manchester side said that the interview with ten Hag was akin to the manager asking Fletcher and Murtough the questions, rather than the other way around.
“It was like United were being interviewed by ten Hag rather than the other way round.”
Clearly, the potential new head coach coming to the Theatre of Dreams in the summer is not one to mince his words as he clearly pointed out what exactly was wrong with how the Premier League giants functioned in the scouting and recruitment aspects.
He seems to be spot on as well, given that in the past two years, we can perhaps only boast of Bruno Fernandes as a signing that has taken the team to new heights. Despite signing stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Raphael Varane, and Jadon Sancho last summer, they have yet to really make their mark on their team- although they have had a few good games here and there.
It is said that despite ten Hag’s brutal assessment of United, club officials were impressed by his frank nature and his vision for the club, although it initially took a few days to digest what was told to them by the Ajax manager.
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This is exactly what is needed at Man Utd. Clearly, things have gone wrong since Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013 which is why not only have we failed to win the Premier League again, but United have also not made the last-four stages of the UEFA Champions League after the Scotsman’s departure.
Clearly, a revamp is needed and ten Hag’s fresh ideas and uncompromising nature could be what makes United genuinely competitive again. It is truly a horrific sight for the Red Devils faithful seeing their rivals do well while they watch from the sidelines- and this is something that will add extra pressure on ten Hag’s shoulders.
