Erik ten Hag - Manchester United manager

Grande

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Is that Steve McLaren? Is he back because he speaks Dutch so well?
Ten Hag was assistant manager for McClaren at FC Twente, McClaren has been assistant manager for United under Fergie, and also has a wealth of experience and knowledge about bothe English, Dutch and international football through various jobs for the FA and FIFA, in addition to his management carreer.
 

horsechoker

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Ten Hag was assistant manager for McClaren at FC Twente, McClaren has been assistant manager for United under Fergie, and also has a wealth of experience and knowledge about bothe English, Dutch and international football through various jobs for the FA and FIFA, in addition to his management carreer.
As well as speaking Dutch
 

AshRK

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I am liking he has target specific players. He knows what he wants to achieve. It will take time but I am fine with that. Hope we get Martinez, FdJ, Eriksen and one attacker. That will be a good start.
 
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klayton88

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Ten Hag was assistant manager for McClaren at FC Twente, McClaren has been assistant manager for United under Fergie, and also has a wealth of experience and knowledge about bothe English, Dutch and international football through various jobs for the FA and FIFA, in addition to his management carreer.
McLaren will also be putting the cones out and printing off the teamsheets.
 

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Well that clearly hasn't been happening at United ever since Jose was appointed. We've regularly featured in the Least Distance Covered stats as well as having end of season collapses nearly every year. Ole called the players out for it towards the end of his first season, but never fixed it. Neither did Ralf.

So let's hope it's different this time.
Ole did call the team out for it his first half season, as they broke down when playing more aggressively. The first summer, a whole lot of players said the training was harder than anything they’d experienced, and in Ole’s first season our running improved, but more importantly, we stood the distance better than opponents instead of worse. This all declined again after 1) the covid break when collective training was banned, 2) the marathon season with 12 1/2 months of football and practically no preseason time for the important players. It’s easy to forget that Ole only ever had one real preseason..
 

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When do players/staff get time off every week? They'll be busy during the weekends with the matches. Is it fixed every week (like Monday) or does it change across clubs/schedule?
 

fps

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Ten Hag was assistant manager for McClaren at FC Twente, McClaren has been assistant manager for United under Fergie, and also has a wealth of experience and knowledge about bothe English, Dutch and international football through various jobs for the FA and FIFA, in addition to his management carreer.
Thank you. I hope he brought his brolly collection.
 

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One of the things that make me actually get confidence in him is that we seem to target the right players to fix our problems. We won't be able to do it in just one window, but should we sign FDJ the start is at least encouraging.

FDJ will solve one of our main problems we had over the last couple of years, he will be the link that progresses the ball from defense to more advanced positions, it's a vital part of our game to fix. The catch is though I don't think we have the right partner for him yet, McT and Fred will get a chance to prove that they can be the ball winner in our midfield three but I remain skeptical that they can really do this job effectively.

The next part that needs fixing desperately is the right side. FB & Wide player, but it's encouraging that we seem to target someone like Antony who would help in that regard massively, I feel. The right FB position on the other hand will be a tough nut to crack, there seem to be so few genuinely good right FB around these days it's actually a bit depressing, but maybe our new data science team can find some whizkid.

I just hope we really will buy the players for the targeted positions and not fail again in negotiations and just buy someone for the sake of it on deadline day.
 

Laurencio

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Is that Steve McLaren? Is he back because he speaks Dutch so well?
We were so shit last season we figured we might as well hire two managers :lol:

Seriously though, he has worked with Ten Hag before, knows the club, speaks English and is a solid coach/manager in his own right. Supposedly has so much respect for Ten Hag as a coach that he really wanted to work as his assistant - which is a good sign in of itself. Plus maybe he can get through to some of the younger lads that aren't really performing well and have had a bit of a sour attitude the past year (Rashford I'm looking at you).
 

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Ole did call the team out for it his first half season, as they broke down when playing more aggressively. The first summer, a whole lot of players said the training was harder than anything they’d experienced, and in Ole’s first season our running improved, but more importantly, we stood the distance better than opponents instead of worse. This all declined again after 1) the covid break when collective training was banned, 2) the marathon season with 12 1/2 months of football and practically no preseason time for the important players. It’s easy to forget that Ole only ever had one real preseason..
All good points. And yes I’m certainly not solely blaming Ole.
 

Adam-Utd

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It's so great to see us doing lots of combination pass and move repetitions.

I really do have a good feeling about ETH.
 

croadyman

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One of the things that make me actually get confidence in him is that we seem to target the right players to fix our problems. We won't be able to do it in just one window, but should we sign FDJ the start is at least encouraging.

FDJ will solve one of our main problems we had over the last couple of years, he will be the link that progresses the ball from defense to more advanced positions, it's a vital part of our game to fix. The catch is though I don't think we have the right partner for him yet, McT and Fred will get a chance to prove that they can be the ball winner in our midfield three but I remain skeptical that they can really do this job effectively.

The next part that needs fixing desperately is the right side. FB & Wide player, but it's encouraging that we seem to target someone like Antony who would help in that regard massively, I feel. The right FB position on the other hand will be a tough nut to crack, there seem to be so few genuinely good right FB around these days it's actually a bit depressing, but maybe our new data science team can find some whizkid.

I just hope we really will buy the players for the targeted positions and not fail again in negotiations and just buy someone for the sake of it on deadline day.
Very measured post about our issues in the starting XI, only bit not really mentioned is the number 9 situation aka Ronny replacement
 

sunama

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Scott McT is doing everything he can to ensure the ball is not passed to him.
Either he is doing that on purpose - in which case he should not be playing for any team.
OR he lacks footballing intelligence to make himself available for the pass, in which he shouldn't be playing for any team.

Either way, unless we play a crap team, he is useless to have on the pitch.

No doubt, we'll have fans telling us that he should be given another year to prove himself.
And let's not forget, Scott McT is not the only one. There are plenty of deadwood players who are utterly useless and should never be played in the first team and yet, they will.

In 2-3 years the fans will turn on ETH and he'll be fired. And the players that through him under the bus, will remain.
We'll then hire a new manager, buy some of the most expensive players on the planet, making them the most highest paid footballers in history.
Those new players will also regress and ultimately that new manager will get blamed and fired.

It's a pattern that has repeated itself for the last 9 years and I see zero evidence of that changing (right now we have a new manager, fans are behind him, we are buying one of the most expensive midfielders in the world and will make him one of the highest paid players on the planet).

The only way to break this losing cycle is to sell a bunch of deadwood players who are poisoning the minds of players who arrive. Make Ronaldo the captain, so the lazy players around him will be accountable to the manager and to Ronaldo when they start acting up. And if those lazy players are unable to improve, they'll be replaced quickly. Sadly, I don't see this happening.
 

dannyrhinos89

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It's so great to see us doing lots of combination pass and move repetitions.

I really do have a good feeling about ETH.

Yep it feels like we've finally got a proper coach in place that can actually you know.....coach.
 

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The amount of hate Mcclaren gets is amazing. Should have some good will with us and he is surely the most qualified person in the league in his role.
 

Blood Mage

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The amount of hate Mcclaren gets is amazing. Should have some good will with us and he is surely the most qualified person in the league in his role.
Was a top, top coach back in his day but let's be honest he's a dinosaur now. I have no problem with him being here though as long as he's just putting out the cones, repeating Ten Hag's instructions to the players and helping to boost dressing room spirit, which is basically what Phelan's role was.
 

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Better to have a frontman that is fully committed to his way of playing.
 

The holy trinity 68

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His job has just got a little bit harder. Tough gig for him this season.
His tactical style is far easier to implement without Ronaldo. If Ronaldo stays, ETH will be expected to change his tactics and philosophy to fit Ronaldo's play style.

It is much better for the team and manager in the medium to long term to just let Ronaldo leave this summer.
 
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edcunited1878

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His job has just got a little bit harder. Tough gig for him this season.
Next year would have been a bigger issue, as at least 1 of 2 positions will be addressed a year earlier, if Ronaldo does leave.

DdG shouldn't be the long term first choice after this season, especially on his current terms. A decision has to be made next summer about David, because as much as I personally love the lad, he's not the future. Cannot be when considering his wages and the need to be progressive across all positions on the pitch.

Then finding a Ronaldo and/or Martial and possibly Rashford replacement next summer? A right back and possibly a right sided forward or another midfielder.
 

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His tactical style is far easy to implement without Ronaldo. If Ronaldo stays, ETH will be expected to change his tactics and philosophy to fit Ronaldo's play style.

It is much better for the team and manager in the medium to long term to just let Ronaldo leave this summer.
Im not disagreeing with you as such, but the flip side is that it’s yet another position that needs addressing. It’s a huge turnover in the team, and we may potentially end up with Martial as main striker.
 

bosskeano

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He would need to replace ronaldo either this season or next so it's just a bit earlier than they may have thought.....flip side this could simply be a ploy to push united to get some fuking deals over the line which is helpful for EtH as well
 

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I am liking he has target specific players. He knows what he wants to achieve. It will take time but I am fine with that. Hope we get Martinez, FdJ, Eriksen and one attacker. That will be a good start.
We're now in July and have not signed a single new player; is this because players are not attracted to joining a mid table team like us or because our transfer strategy is rubbish, or both? Either way, ETH may have targetted certain players but will he get them? Meanwhile we welcome back Martial, Jones et al. Its simply not good enough.
 

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We're now in July and have not signed a single new player; is this because players are not attracted to joining a mid table team like us or because our transfer strategy is rubbish, or both? Either way, ETH may have targetted certain players but will he get them? Meanwhile we welcome back Martial, Jones et al. Its simply not good enough.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Self loathing stepping up a notch with the devastating but blessing in disguise news that Ronaldo wants to leave the club, same fella who left us when we were the 2nd best club in Europe at the time.
 

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It will be interesting to see the squad that departs for Asia next week.

I hope the club delivers for ETH.