ERIK TEN HAG: THE NEW BALD MAN IN MANCHETSER

ERIK TEN HAG: THE NEW BALD MAN IN MANCHESTER

Adebayo Nurudeen

Sunday’s Carabao cup final saw Erik ten hag win his first major trophy for the red devils of Manchester as goals from Casemiro and Rashford were enough to destroy the Magpies of Newcastle United.

The 52-year-old Dutch was confirmed as  Manchester United manager in April  2022, replacing Ralf Ragnick after the 2021/2022 Premier league Campaign, having won 5major trophies for FC AJAX including the Eredivisie and KNVB cup.

On his appointment when asked about what excites him most about the opportunity of managing the club? He said  “I think many [reasons]. First of all, we want to make the fans proud. Second, of course, we are in this moment, and the current situation is not that good. It’s a big challenge. I want to build and construct a team who are battling for each other, who is unified, and who will get results. Also, we are playing in the Theatre of Dreams. We want to entertain. But in the end, the intention is to play fantastic football. If we can’t play fantastic football, we still have to win.”

The red side of Manchester lifted its last trophy in 2017, under the special one (JOSE MOURINHO), and ever since the club had gone 6years without a major trophy which is ruinous for a club of such caliber and it is safe to say Erik ten hag has turned Manchester from “whiners to winners”.

In his first press conference, the Dutchman promised to end the dominance of Liverpool and Manchester City and said “At this moment I admire them both. Liverpool and Manchester City play fantastic football, but you will always see an era that can come to an end. I look forward to a battle with them and I'm sure other clubs will want to do that.”.

His style of play is highly intense and physical, with aggressive pressing, long balls, and counterattacks that suit their forwards.

 On his style of play Record club's highest clean-sheet holder –David De Gea said “The manager knows 100 percent what he wants, “He knows the way he wants to play.

“He’s giving a lot of information to the team, trying to give the details, and has some rules inside and outside the pitch, I think this is what we need and also to know what we have to do on the pitch and play as a team.”

Victor Lindelof on the other hand said “It’s been great, obviously a lot of hard work and a lot of tough sessions. But that’s how it should be during a pre-season to get the fitness levels up,”.

“Training sessions have been really good, [Ten Hag] demands a lot from us and expects us to perform at a high level. It’s been great."

Serial winner - Raphael Varane said  “We know exactly how we want to play. The manager explained very well what we have to do and it’s absolutely clear. So we know we have to be very fit because it’s a very physical way to play.”

Disciplinarian and Man Management Skills

Erik is a no-nonsense manager and it is evident in the way he deals with the players.  Ronaldo was disciplined for not turning up for pre-season, Sancho was sent out of the team for rehabilitation and lack of fitness, Rashford was dropped to the bench after coming late for the team’s meeting and Anthony was exculpated halftime for showboating.’

Several  Man. utd players have improved under his management. The likes of Dalot, Wan Bissaka, Rashford, and luke shaw are an attestation to that. Several departments of the squad have improved drastically, all thanks to Erik Ten Hag.

Style of play

Since his appointment Man. utd has won Liverpool, Manchester City, league leaders Arsenal, and Barcelona in the Europa League.

He can exploit a high line and then link with runners from out wide. When up against a more set block, he rotates with one of United's wingers rather than just staying in a central position. This makes Ten Hag's front line much more flexible and unpredictable.

When Rashford is used, he also adds to United’s counter-attacking threat, with his pace and direct running reducing the need for backward passes or sets to build moves.

Rashford’s goal threat from wide

Rashford has been reinvigorated by Ten Hag's arrival, with his energy and relentless running helping his team out in several ways. His high position and runs in behind force the opposition’s defence back and create space for Eriksen and Fernandes to operate in.

What's more, his diagonal runs from wide – mainly the left, though he has played on the right as well – have sparked rotations with a dropping Martial and Fernandes, who likes to move out to the left. The coordination of Rashford’s runs and a pass played by his teammate have improved, and he is getting into better goalscoring positions more frequently as a result. Only once before has Rashford scored more than 11 Premier League goals in a season; he is already on seven in 2022/23.

Let's see some quotes on Erik’s style of play

Andre Onana said  “When we lose the ball, we must win it back immediately,” Ajax goalkeeper Onana told AFP in May 2019. “He is focused on that, he is always telling us that if we have control of the ball, we can push back any opponent.”

Daley Blind said “Johan Cruyff’s philosophy and spirit still flows around in this club,” former United man Blind told BT Sport in May 2019. “Erik ten Hag is doing very well now. He wants us to play attacking football but most of all without any fear.” 

Erik ten Hag himself said  “I learned a lot from Guardiola,” Ten Hag said in February 2019. “His philosophy is sensational, what he did in Barcelona, Bayern, and now with Manchester City, that attacking and attractive style sees him win a lot.“It’s this structure that I’ve tried to implement with Ajax.”.

Manchester United have gotten their sought out most SAF replacement  in Erik Ten Hag, he is the “chosen one.”