Manchester United’s coach Benni McCarthy has stated that Jadon Sancho had personal “reasons” for not offering an apology to manager Erik ten Hag.
The rapport between the England winger and the United boss soured following Ten Hag’s open disapproval of Sancho’s training performance.
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As a result, Sancho found himself removed from the main squad and demoted to train with the youth teams, a decision perceived by many as overly punitive.
Sancho publicly voiced his concerns, suggesting he was being unfairly targeted as a “scapegoat” while other players, despite lackluster performances, seemed to receive the manager’s support.
These remarks did not sit well with Ten Hag, leading to Sancho’s temporary exit during the January transfer window.
Sancho rejoined Borussia Dortmund, his former team where he had previously thrived. The 24-year-old winger’s return to Germany on loan offered a reprieve from the challenging atmosphere he faced at Old Trafford.
In the comfort of a known environment, Sancho started to regain the impressive form that once ranked him among the most sought-after talents in European football.
During a conversation with 947 Joburg, Benni McCarthy, part of United’s coaching team, shed light on the reasons behind Sancho’s decision to withhold an apology from Ten Hag:
“I spoke to the manager and I said to him that you know the delicacy and I think Jadon feels that if he apologises then he’s going to be classed as someone who doesn’t train hard, that doesn’t work hard, who that everything that was said against him was true and if you are from the streets.
“No one wants to apologise, you admit you are not training well, you are lazy, everything you are accused of. Jadon wasn’t going to have that. The manager just said that all he wants is an apology.”
For Sancho, apologising would mean admitting to accusations he did not believe were accurate, which could tarnish his self-image & reputation.
As McCarthy noted, “I spoke to Jadon as a coach, as a mentor, as a friend, and as someone who grew up on the streets and knows the code. But Jadon just wasn’t seeing it.
“He said, ‘I ain’t apologizing because if I do, I’m apologizing for being lazy, always being late, not giving my best. That’s what I’m apologizing for’, and those were his reasons”.
At Dortmund, Jadon Sancho is beginning to display the talent that once made him a standout player, yet his future remains uncertain. Dortmund is eager to extend his stay past the loan’s expiration, but the financial demands of a permanent deal pose a significant hurdle due to their fiscal constraints.
On the other hand, a potential departure of Erik ten Hag from Manchester United could pave the way for Sancho’s return to the squad, potentially under new leadership.
For now, Sancho’s immediate goal is to triumph in Europe with Dortmund, as they prepare to face Real Madrid in the upcoming Champions League final this Saturday.
