Erik ten Hag is said to have alienated half of the Manchester United squad, as players express concerns about his ‘mechanical’ managerial approach.
The team is currently facing a challenging season, marked by 10 losses in 21 games, placing them in the seventh spot in the Premier League and jeopardizing their Champions League aspirations.
- Bruno Fernandes went into ref’s office after Saturday’s loss asking questions about Newcastle player
- Nemanja Matic names two Man Utd players who were ‘always late’ for training
- Sneijder makes his feelings on Lionel Messi winning 2010 Ballon d’Or crystal clear
The recent 1-0 defeat to Newcastle, considered one of their worst performances this season, has intensified criticism of both the players and Ten Hag.
The manager’s tactics and leadership style, particularly amid the Jadon Sancho off-pitch controversy, are now facing increased scrutiny.
Although, until recently, most of the United squad supported their manager, recent weeks have seen reports of conflicts between Ten Hag and specific players, notably Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial.
Sky Sports reveals that approximately half of the squad has grown discontented with the Dutchman, citing dissatisfaction with his training methods and tactics. However, no specific names were disclosed.
They say: ‘Some of the players are confused about what is happening and he [Ten Hag] has lost elements of the dressing room. About 50% of the dressing room.
‘Quite a few players are unhappy with the style of play. They feel they are training too hard and they are running too much during training. Players don’t know what they’re running for.
‘A few players think he’s too set in his ways, he’s too robotic. And quite a few players are unhappy with the way Jadon Sancho has been treated and feel it’s gone too far.’
Since his public dispute with Ten Hag in September, Sancho has been absent from the lineup. This disagreement arose when the manager asserted that the winger’s training performance did not meet the required standards.
Despite the manager’s expectations for an apology, the England international has chosen not to express regret. Consequently, he has been excluded from the first-team squad, denied the privilege of dining with senior players, and relegated to training with the youth teams.
‘Senior players have spoken to Ten Hag about where they feel the club is going wrong,’ the report added
‘They’ve spoken to him about their experiences of playing at other big clubs. They maybe feel that he should be a little more touchy, feely. His man management could be a little bit better. However, he is not for turning.’
