Was Ten Hag’s "Man Utd will never play like Ajax" his Ole "Trophies are for ego’s" moment?

[The Oracle]

Think about that, Ole said in March 2021 that “The cups are sometimes an ego thing for managers and clubs.”
He then went on to lose the Europa League Final against Villarreal, and never won a trophy as manager of Manchester United.

Now about Ten Hag...

In May 2022, during Ten Hag’s first press conference as Utd boss, he was asked how will they play under his stewardship? With Ten Hag answering, "Maybe you have seen Ajax? And I like that.”

Fast forward to October 2023, after £400m had been spent on transfers by the manager, and after just losing to City at home 0-3, Ten Hag then stated, ‘Man Utd will never play like Ajax.’
Now fast forward some more to the present day (31st December 2023), where we have had 14 defeats in 28 games so far this season*; if Ten Hag isn’t going to implement his style of play here at Manchester United, then what purpose does it serve for him to remain as our manager?

*For context, Gary Neville oversaw 28 games as manager of Valencia and suffered 11 defeats, before he was shown the door.

 

[Atheist]

"We were overperforming last season" is probably as worse. Total delusion.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

"We were overperforming last season" is worse I agree ^

We finished 3rd and won a cup final. It really does seem like that minor cup final success went to his head, because his management since then has been fecking deplorable.

 

[redshaw]

The world's best transition team is another good quote. A team near the top of the PL and beating Barcelona to transition into a laughing stock, so many losses and fewer goals than last year (58) this year ~40.

I do agree though the Ajax one is the most damning, he should be starting as means to go on. This transition high turnover plan doesn't even generate that much for any team and our attack has set like cement.

 

[AshRK]

Ten Hag confirms Mainoo's removal was tactical. Says he has 'no regrets' about the decision.

This is it for me. Egoistic manager who is too proud to admit he got it wrong. And then to make it worse he adds that Mctominay brought in energy. He has lost it.

 

[RedRonaldo]

He has spent 400m, and we end up being worst than Neville's Valencia, having nearly the worst attack stats in the league this season, and failing to established anything near to the style of football that has been promised from day 1. We have also probably fecked up our FFP in near future with huge amount spent on average/poor signings/deadwoods...

There is only one outcome to this.

 

[Who's Kissing Cameras?]

It was a terrible comment, which made me lose all faith in Ten Hag.

All his CV was based on his stellar work at Ajax, £400m later and he does a 180° on what made him successful.

 

[Rojofiam]

"I’ve been here for two and a half of those years and coming in as I’ve said so many times I felt a big rebuild had to be made," Solskjaer said.

"In the league position you see if there’s any progress for me, that’s always the bread and butter of the season that you see how capable you are of coping of ups and downs any cup competition can give you a trophy but sometimes it’s more of an ego thing from other managers and clubs to finally win something.

"But we need to see progress and if we perform well enough the trophies will end up at the club again. It’s not like a trophy will say that we’re back, no.

"It’s the gradual progression of being in and around the top of the league and the consistency and the odd trophies. Sometimes a cup competition can hide the fact you’re still struggling a little bit."

Everything Ole said here is 100% correct, the media just took 1 sentence out of context and our stupid fanbase lapped it up like usual. Classic.

 

[Tyrion]

"We were overperforming last season" is probably as worse. Total delusion.

"We were overperforming last season" is worse I agree ^

We finished 3rd and won a cup final. It really does seem like that minor cup final success went to his head, because his management since then has been fecking deplorable.

But didn't we overperform last season? This squad isn't the 3rd best in the Premier league. You could argue the Spurs team with Kane was better than ours but had a manager that was basically trolling them.

 

[Atheist]

But didn't we overperform last season? This squad isn't the 3rd best in the Premier league. You could argue the Spurs team with Kane was better than ours but had a manager that was basically trolling them.

It’s subjective but I don’t believe it qualifies as over performing by any stretch of the imagination. It wasn’t even the best season we had post-Fergie. After the amount of money spent, top 4 was a minimum and that was achieved. If we were to actually challenge for the league title or win another trophy I’d actually consider that as overperforming. Clearly he has pathetically low standards, which is ironic considering his comment about Pep and how eras have to come to an end.

 

[ROFLUTION]

But didn't we overperform last season? This squad isn't the 3rd best in the Premier league. You could argue the Spurs team with Kane was better than ours but had a manager that was basically trolling them.

This.

I feel very meh about this thread. Why is this important to pinpoint? It’s not even a big quote from ETH to me.

Looking for quotes of where a manager cracked is usually something we did with opposition managers who crumbled under Fergie. “Fachts”, “Love to win it”, etc.

 

[United888]

If what the athletic said was true about ten Hag wanted these and these type of player and positions but the board gave him something else who are not even similar in playing style then ten Hag is not wrong about us will never play like Ajax.

 

[RedBanker]

I am waiting for "I was never good enough for this and somehow conned my way into this job" interview.

 

[RedRonaldo]

If what the athletic said was true about ten Hag wanted these and these type of player and positions but the board gave him something else who are not even similar in playing style then ten Hag is not wrong about us will never play like Ajax.

Let's pretend Antony, Onana, Mount, Erikson and Amrabat singings has nothing to do with ETH. And there is only 1 or 2 players in this entire world which could make his system works.

 

[United888]

Let's pretend Antony, Onana, Mount, Erikson and Amrabat singings has nothing to do with ETH. And there is only 1 or 2 players in this entire world which could make his system works.

I agree with Onana, ‘’May be’’ Mount and Eriksen and also Martinez those are ten Hag signings but those are only four. I have to disagree with you with the rest. Athletic article mentioned ten Hag wanted striker in his first summer window, they couldn’t get him striker. The board gave him antony as panic buy because United lost their first two games. We were never linked with Antony until we lost those games.

 

[GazTheLegend]

"We were overperforming last season" is probably as worse. Total delusion.

Yeah that's a bad one. I mean he's right in that we overperformed our xG last season (our expected points was like 6th?) But we are actually worse in that regard this season. So essentially drawing attention to how shit we actually were last year anyway, under him.

 

[RedRonaldo]

I agree with Onana, ‘’May be’’ Mount and Eriksen and also Martinez those are ten Hag signings but those are only four. I have to disagree with you with the rest. Athletic article mentioned ten Hag wanted striker in his first summer window, they couldn’t get him striker. The board gave him antony as panic buy because United lost their first two games. We were never linked with Antony until we lost those games.

Thats not what I remembered. We have been linking with Antony all summer but the rumours die down gradually because of Ajax's unrealistic asking price. We then up our price to panic buy him after missing out on our other target and losing our first 2 games.

 

[soapythecat]

We've never even tried to play like his Ajax side once since he arrived. I don't understand how he can't implement it. Bielsa tried at Leeds and only failed because they were really poor - our squad does have quality and who know?

 

[DWelbz19]

If what the athletic said was true about ten Hag wanted these and these type of player and positions but the board gave him something else who are not even similar in playing style then ten Hag is not wrong about us will never play like Ajax.

If a manager can’t coach a team to play with some fundamental principles of modern football and look like a side who aren’t absolutely clueless every time they have the ball (which is what the “play like Ajax” quote meant, it was never literal) — without having cherry picked signings in every position of request — he isn’t worth his salt.

 

[sugar_kane]

He is doing pathetically bad this season but the quote about us over performing last season isn’t inaccurate, everyone expected us to do terribly going into that season. 3rd + a trophy was way above expectations.

This year however it’s turd and atrophy.

 

[golden_blunder]

"I’ve been here for two and a half of those years and coming in as I’ve said so many times I felt a big rebuild had to be made," Solskjaer said.

"In the league position you see if there’s any progress for me, that’s always the bread and butter of the season that you see how capable you are of coping of ups and downs any cup competition can give you a trophy but sometimes it’s more of an ego thing from other managers and clubs to finally win something.

"But we need to see progress and if we perform well enough the trophies will end up at the club again. It’s not like a trophy will say that we’re back, no.

"It’s the gradual progression of being in and around the top of the league and the consistency and the odd trophies. Sometimes a cup competition can hide the fact you’re still struggling a little bit."

Everything Ole said here is 100% correct, the media just took 1 sentence out of context and our stupid fanbase lapped it up like usual. Classic.

Agreed. What ole said there is absolutely spot on

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

We've never even tried to play like his Ajax side once since he arrived. I don't understand how he can't implement it. Bielsa tried at Leeds and only failed because they were really poor - our squad does have quality and who know?

I wouldn’t say Bielsa failed, got promoted and finished 9th, had their highest league position in 20 years. Wasn’t going well at the end but they got decimated by injuries and didn’t have a great squad.

 

[soapythecat]

I wouldn’t say Bielsa failed, got promoted and finished 9th, had their highest league position in 20 years. Wasn’t going well at the end but they got decimated by injuries and didn’t have a great squad.

Failed was probably a poor word to choose. Ultimately, he got the sack, which I thought was unfair given the brand of football they were capable of under him. The quality of that squad was obvious when they continued to be poor once he left. Bielsa is one of the best coaches out there - would be a proper kick up the arse for this squad if he came to United.

 

[didz]

"I’ve been here for two and a half of those years and coming in as I’ve said so many times I felt a big rebuild had to be made," Solskjaer said.

"In the league position you see if there’s any progress for me, that’s always the bread and butter of the season that you see how capable you are of coping of ups and downs any cup competition can give you a trophy but sometimes it’s more of an ego thing from other managers and clubs to finally win something.

"But we need to see progress and if we perform well enough the trophies will end up at the club again. It’s not like a trophy will say that we’re back, no.

"It’s the gradual progression of being in and around the top of the league and the consistency and the odd trophies. Sometimes a cup competition can hide the fact you’re still struggling a little bit."

Everything Ole said here is 100% correct, the media just took 1 sentence out of context and our stupid fanbase lapped it up like usual. Classic.

Absolutely correct, and this has happened with Ten Hag and will continue to happen with any manager at this football club come whatever may.

It's getting to the point where our next appointment could do with having the same strategy with the media as Bielsa - just pretend you don't speak English at all and can't be bothered to learn.

Or get a Tolkien nerd in who refuses to speak anything but elvish. Make the feckers really work for it if they want to take quotes out of context.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

It was a terrible comment, which made me lose all faith in Ten Hag.

All his CV was based on his stellar work at Ajax, £400m later and he does a 180° on what made him successful.

Thing is we probably needed Marc Overmars as well, then confiscate his mobile phone, instead he had Murtough who was bending over backwards for him even though he must have known we were being rinsed left right and centre.

 

[didz]

Thing is we probably needed Marc Overmars as well, then confiscate his mobile phone, instead he had Murtough who was bending over backwards for him even though he must have known we were being rinsed left right and centre.

I wonder if phone-less Overmars would still have more contacts than Murtough?

 

[Robbie Boy]

Both talked utter bollox in general, that's for sure.

 

[ShinjiNinja26]

The whole Ajax stuff is what really raised alarm bells for me. He was literally hired off the back of the job he did at Ajax, he was seen as a modern, progressive coach who played an attacking possession based style of football that we all wanted to see here.
If he couldn’t implement that straight away then fair enough but £400m later surely you sign the right profile of player to fit the style you want to play? You don’t rip up everything that made you successful in the first place and go in a completely opposite direction, and unfortunately for us that direction is down, and pretty fecking rapidly.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

"We were overperforming last season" and "We want to be the best transition team in the world"

 

[tenpoless]

It was the beginning of his downfall. Because no manager has ever succeeded by playing the United way post Sir Alex.

 

[RedIan]

Let's pretend Antony, Onana, Mount, Erikson and Amrabat singings has nothing to do with ETH. And there is only 1 or 2 players in this entire world which could make his system works.

Erikson was a freebie and we have played our best football with him in the team last year and this. when he doesnt play we rarely tick. Erikson is the Best signing off the bunch imo especially as he cost zero.

Amrabat is on loan, not signed and he hasnt done enough to make it permanent.

You forgot Licha, Casamiro and Hojlund.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

I wonder if phone-less Overmars would still have more contacts than Murtough?

Probably.

 

[crossy1686]

"We were overperforming last season" is probably as worse. Total delusion.

Yep, which means he thinks this season is an underperformance or a return to the mean, which makes us after £400m spent, the worst team in the league based on attacking and defending stats.

Delusion is the right word.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

If what the athletic said was true about ten Hag wanted these and these type of player and positions but the board gave him something else who are not even similar in playing style then ten Hag is not wrong about us will never play like Ajax.

Erik ten Hag's preference for Eredivisie players has left Man Utd with a weakened squad

https://www.goal.com/en/lists/erik-...gy-end/bltbf224c653d67d885#csfa347867beb5ef83

 

[RedRonaldo]

Erikson was a freebie and we have played our best football with him in the team last year and this. when he doesnt play we rarely tick. Erikson is the Best signing off the bunch imo especially as he cost zero.

Amrabat is on loan, not signed and he hasnt done enough to make it permanent.

You forgot Licha, Casamiro and Hojlund.

Martinez is definitely a good signing, so I'll give him this one. I always have feeling that Casemiro and Hojlund wasn't his signing, but rather signing recommended by our scouts (and agreed by him).

If we have enough funds back in summer we would definitely buy Amrabat instead of loan. And its definitely his signing as our scouts are reportedly against it.

 

[tomaldinho1]

"I’ve been here for two and a half of those years and coming in as I’ve said so many times I felt a big rebuild had to be made," Solskjaer said.

"In the league position you see if there’s any progress for me, that’s always the bread and butter of the season that you see how capable you are of coping of ups and downs any cup competition can give you a trophy but sometimes it’s more of an ego thing from other managers and clubs to finally win something.

"But we need to see progress and if we perform well enough the trophies will end up at the club again. It’s not like a trophy will say that we’re back, no.

"It’s the gradual progression of being in and around the top of the league and the consistency and the odd trophies. Sometimes a cup competition can hide the fact you’re still struggling a little bit."

Everything Ole said here is 100% correct, the media just took 1 sentence out of context and our stupid fanbase lapped it up like usual. Classic.

No he made an error with the trophies comment. His point re the league is correct but you go into every comp trying to win it and there’s no ego attached to that whatsoever, it’s literally his job. I guess what he meant to say is that winning a cup doesn’t necessarily mean a team is ready to compete in the league but he messed up how he said it.

 

[Counterfactual]

He is doing pathetically bad this season but the quote about us over performing last season isn’t inaccurate, everyone expected us to do terribly going into that season. 3rd + a trophy was way above expectations.

This year however it’s turd and atrophy.

Brilliant.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

He is doing pathetically bad this season but the quote about us over performing last season isn’t inaccurate, everyone expected us to do terribly going into that season. 3rd + a trophy was way above expectations.

This year however it’s turd and atrophy.

Did you come up with this? It’s fantastic.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Martinez is definitely a good signing, so I'll give him this one. I always have feeling that Casemiro and Hojlund wasn't his signing, but rather signing recommended by our scouts (and agreed by him).

If we have enough funds back in summer we would definitely buy Amrabat instead of loan. And its definitely his signing as our scouts are reportedly against it.

Hojlund is under the same agent as him.

 

[VP89]

I don't think what he said was nearly as contraversial as what Ole said to be fair. I'm fine with the style he spoke of, it's just implemented really poorly and with not enough urgency.