Manchester United players have been emailed for new boss Erik ten Hag as the Dutchman details his expectations with clear consequences if they fall short
Video unavailable
Five players whose Man Utd ten Hag careers can live again
Erik ten Hag is taking no shots at the start of his reign at Manchester United and has reportedly emailed the team detailing his expectations as he reminds them there is no room for egos.
The Dutchman has arrived from Ajax and is tasked with a major rebuild at Old Trafford over the next few years.
Last season’s failures exposed many of the club’s faults and they ultimately missed out on Champions League football, finishing sixth.
Poor performances on the pitch were compounded by rumors of discontent in the dressing room and of training ground collapses. United’s squad is full of quality names and big personalities – but Ten Hag told them to prioritize the team or risk being replaced by a youngster from the club.
He also talked about the need to be fit and promised to get them into top shape provided they support his methods. A source told The Sun: “The new manager has sent an email to the first-team players, telling them that football is a team game and no individual is more important than another. His focus is on the team – despite United having world-class stars – he wants players to train at a higher intensity so that every session feels like a game.
“The players have been told that their level of fitness will be the best they have ever been and if they stick with him and support him they will be fine. Otherwise, they will be at the door. They will be drilled and drilled until they succeed. And if they can’t, he will replace them with promising youngsters.
Ten Hag gave little in his first press conference as he assessed his squad – many of whom failed to deliver on their promise at Old Trafford. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal have all been unable to achieve their goals in recent years.
(
Image:
Manchester United via Getty Images)
HAVE YOUR SAY! Where will Man Utd finish next season? Let us know in the comments!
It is now claimed that Ten Hag could employ Sir Alex Ferguson as a tactic to ensure he is able to succeed. A source added: “He’s going to be a lot like Sir Alex Ferguson was. Fergie knew absolutely everything about her players and didn’t like fools. Neither did Ten Hag.
The Dutchman’s immediate task will be to build a team that is grossly underperforming. The likes of Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Raphael Varane were not producing their best last term, with Ten Hag also having to implement his own philosophy.
New signings will be needed, especially in the middle of the park, with Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic both leaving after their contracts expired while Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata also left.
Read more
Read more