“They’d be at HR the next day”: Erik ten Hag seems to aim dig at soft Manchester United players | OneFootball

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has seemingly taken a swipe at his former players at Old Trafford, strongly hinting they were unable to cope with his strict nature and “hard approach.”

Ten Hag was sacked by United in late October 2024 after two-and-a-half seasons at the helm. At Old Trafford, he won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.

The Dutchman was replaced by Ruben Amorim, who has struggled since his arrival. United are currently in 15th place. Amorim has won four, drawn three and lost eight of his first 15 Premier League matches as United gaffer.

For the first time since parting ways with the Red Devils, Ten Hag granted an interview, where he spoke about his spell in England.

The 55-year-old sat down with SEG Stories and revealed how fond he is of United and what he achieved there. However, he also shared some interesting insights about the players and his experience from working with them. There were instances during his tenure with the 20-time English champions that Ten Hag clashed with some of his stars.

He did not see eye-to-eye with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho. Both players left United before Ten Hag was relieved of his duties.

Ten Hag also frequently clashed with Marcus Rashford, who is currently out on loan at Aston Villa. Raphael Varane recently revealed that Ten Hag ruled with an iron first and was not entirely popular within the dressing room.

Asked how his players would describe him, Ten Hag answered, “I don’t know. Ask them. I’ve read stuff: committed, invested in them, crazy about the game, a winner.”

“What’s a good coach? I’ve developed well, but I’m not satisfied. There’s room to improve. I’m decent, I think.”

He was pressed further on why he couldn’t definitively say he’s a good coach. He told SEG Stories, “Because I see so much room to get better. That’s the beauty of sport—there’s always growth, as a coach, as a person.”

He also spoke about a horizon and clarified what he meant.

“That’s more the journey—how football should evolve, the performance side. There’s so much more around it that we don’t highlight here, but it’s a huge part of what I do as a coach.”

Ten Hag named some things that are often overlooked but have a big impact on a footballer’s effectiveness on the pitch.

“A player’s well-being. How they handle media, fan reactions, social media—it affects their game. For some it’s positive, for others negative. This generation struggles with criticism—it hits them hard.”

“My generation had thicker skin; you could be much more direct with us. If I used that approach now, I’d demotivate them. They’d be at HR the next day.”

On how the players were handled in the past, he explained, “Frits Korbach once told me a story. Sjaak Lentz crushed him on the field against PSV, said, ‘You’re not getting past me,’ and sent him flying. That was tougher, no VAR. You could be way more direct—coaches would rip into you. I never got worse from it.”

“Football’s about survival, pushing limits, then shaking hands and having a beer after. That’s sport—challenging each other, entertaining the crowd.”

“Theo Vonk, five or six times after a Sunday game. I’d think I’d played well, then the kit man would say, ‘Erik, coach wants you.’ I’d go to his office, try to sit, and he’d say, ‘No, stay standing.’ ‘How’d you think you played yesterday?’ ‘Pretty decent,’ I’d say. ‘Decent?’ he’d snap. ‘You were nothing. Awful!'”

“‘This was bad, that was bad.’ I’d argue, ‘But I helped stop that goal.’ ‘Nothing,’ he’d say. ‘See that ladder? You’re three meters below it. If you want to climb, fix what I just told you.’ Then, ‘Turn around, out.’ Monday to Wednesday, you’d work on it. Thursday, he’d say, ‘You’ll be the best.'”

“That’s the thick skin we’re talking about. He’d do that to the whole dressing room—pick you out, tear into you. Now, this generation would find it insulting, and you’d demotivate them.”

On whether he struggles with being direct with the players, Ten Hag responded, “You can, but it’s the challenge—same message, different delivery. They’d feel humiliated otherwise. We saw it as a gift—unwrap it, get better. The old way was more effective; you knew where you stood and what to fix. Now, you’ve got to be more tactful for the same result.”

Asked when he figured out he needed to change his approach to become more empathetic, Ten Hag replied “Over 22 years as a coach, you learn. Early on, I tried the hard approach—my first year, it didn’t work. You adjust, communicate softer—not less firm, just with more care. Our generation found that harder; this one needs it.”

United are back in action on Wednesday when they welcome Ipswich Town to the Theatre of Dreams. Kick-off is at 19:30 GMT.

Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social