Erik ten Hag breaks his silence and goes behind the scenes of his time at Manchester United, two years after his dismissal. In an interview given to The Athleticthe Dutch technician talks about the promises not kept by management, his lack of support and his tensions with Cristiano Ronaldo. “They promised me their loyalty, their support and communication. We discussed the problems, but they did not keep their promises”he says, also regretting the sale of Scott McTominay, whom he wanted to keep. The former coach believes that his departure, in October 2024, came while his team was still able to progress.
The former Ajax also looks back on his conflict with CR7, believing that the striker had disappointed the team: “he ran neither with the ball nor without it. The reason? He hadn’t prepared. Every great team must surround itself with its best player, but the best player must work for the team…” In addition, Erik ten Hag denounces an internal culture which, according to him, gave too much power to the players. “They perpetuate this toxic culture, they fuel it, they empower the players”he declares, evoking for example the management of Marcus Rashford. Despite everything, the Dutchman maintains a strong attachment to Manchester United, where he won the League Cup and then the FA Cup. He also describes the Wembley coronation in 2024 as “the most beautiful moment of my life in Manchester”while regretting the lack of stability and support from management…
