Erik ten Hag will be at the helm of Manchester United this summer. Only the presentation is yet to come. What kind of world does the Ajax coach step into? What can he expect? What are the pitfalls? Etienne Verhoeff discusses it with Geert Langendorff, football reporter in England for the AD in the new AD Voetbalpodcast.
,,The fans see Ten Hag as the savior. After so much misery, finally someone with a fresh look as a trainer,” says Langendorff, who spoke to various supporters for the AD. ,,He comes from Ajax, which they really look up to. It also counts that Ten Hag has prizes to his name. They see him as someone of the old Dutch stamp with German glasses on.”
In the Netherlands, Ten Hag can calmly do his thing. He is not or hardly privately disturbed by peripheral matters. But in England it is of course different. ,,There is a colleague from The Times in the Netherlands now. He already wanted to know where Ten Hag lives. Or he can ring his doorbell. Where he used to play football. In his hometown, any unknown man in a suit in the street can be a reporter for The Sun now. Everything is news at Manchester United. You are the figurehead of the club. You are the manager of the club. You are the seller of the club. You have to bring things with a smile.”
Verhoeff goes through a few statements by Ten Hag in the media with Langendorff in the podcast. A little media training. What is useful to say and what is not. ,,Ten Hag will have to be smart here. Giving chunks of information to the media. And don’t slam the door. Taking Van Persie or McClaren with you is also a good idea. They know how it works here in England. Journalists here also have to fill the newspaper every day. Van Gaal did well at United in the beginning. Even Ragnick got that. But Moyes didn’t and was gone quickly.”
Ronaldo
And then the question is what the team will look like. Will Christiano Ronaldo stay? Do fans accept that he should leave or not? How much money does Ten Hag have available to get players? How much control does he have?
In addition, Verhoeff and Langendorff discuss Liverpool’s performance. That can go for four more prizes this season. “Being a champion is more important to Liverpool than winning the Champions League. They want to overtake United as the best club in England. For City, the Champions League is more likely to be the crowning achievement for the project.”
Listen to the entire podcast via AD.nl, the AD app and your favorite podcast platform.
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss a thing from the stars.