“They are so hard to find” - Erik ten Hag describes the type of player needed for success at Manchester United
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is certainly feeling the pressure, but the two-week international break has given him valuable time to regroup. During the break, the Dutch manager returned to his roots and highlighted a few qualities he would like to see in his players.
The Red Devils are currently in a huge spot of bother. After starting the season with a 1-0 win over Fulham, a 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on the road didn’t help their cause.
Things went from bad to worse the following week when Liverpool visited Old Trafford and dismantled them on their home turf. A first-half brace from Luis Diaz and a second-half goal from Mohamed Salah secured a 3-0 victory for the Reds, further increasing the pressure on Ten Hag.
The 54-year-old took the opportunity during the break to return to the Netherlands and his former club, Utrecht, where he managed from 2015 to 2017. He oversaw a Utrecht side featuring many of his former players during Mark van der Maarel’s testimonial match.
Van der Maarel was notably a one-club man throughout his career, joining Utrecht in 2009 and retiring at the end of last season. Ten Hag was full of praise for his former player, noting that players like Maarel are rare while expressing his preference as a coach for such committed characters.
"Mark is a great character. As a coach, you always want to have him in your group. For success at a club, you really need a player like Mark, but they are so hard to find. He was always busy improving himself, but also others.
“He has had such a great career. He really deserved this. He has shown character and resilience and the public has embraced him. That is so beautiful. He is concluding a very beautiful part of his life that he will look back on with great satisfaction," Ten Hag told Utrecht TV (via United in Focus).
Ten Hag will certainly be hoping this break serves as a turning point, as Manchester United face a busy schedule ahead, both domestically and in Europe.
Manchester United CEO Omar Barreda backs Erik ten Hag amid poor displays
Questions have arisen following Manchester United’s start to the season, with Erik ten Hag coming under particular scrutiny. After the club’s revamped hierarchy signed five new players, expectations were high for results in the Dutchman’s third season at the club.
Although the general sentiment is that Ten Hag is under pressure, Manchester United CEO Omar Barreda has expressed his support for the head coach.
“Do we still believe in Erik? Absolutely. We think Erik is the right coach for us and we’re fully backing him. Erik has our full backing and we have worked very closely together, as Dan said before, in this [summer] transfer window. We’re going to continue working very closely with him to help him get the best results," he said (via Eurosport)
Manchester United will next face Southampton in the Premier League on September 14, followed by a clash against Barnsley in the EFL Cup on September 17.