Erik ten Hag reveals brilliant response after being told NOT to sign for Manchester United

Erik ten Hag has revealed his brilliant response after he was told he should not sign for Manchester United in 2022.

When Manchester United announced then-Ajax manager Erik ten Hag as the new manager at Old Trafford, the majority of fans were filled with excitement at the prospect of the man who had just won three Eredivisie titles in a row taking charge.

Ten Hag inherited a disorganised, unattractive mess of a club when he joined in 2022. After sacking Ole Gunnar Solskjær earlier that season, the club hired Ralf Rangnick as the interim manager before finishing sixth in the Premier League table.

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His first season at the club saw relative success, winning the Carabao Cup – the club’s first trophy in almost six years – and finishing third in the league, although there were off-field problems with Cristiano Ronaldo and Mason Greenwood that the manager had to continually contend with.

His second season was not as bright. Injury problems meant he routinely did not have his preferred starting XI available, and a further off-field problem with Jadon Sancho led to further turmoil surrounding the club.

After the side finished eighth in the league table and Sir Jim Ratcliffe came in as the new co-owner, many thought that Ten Hag would face the sack, but following the FA Cup final win, he received the full support of the new directors in place and was granted a one-year extension on his contract, which now runs until 2026.

Speaking to journalists while in the USA on Thursday, Ten Hag was asked if it feels like a “fresh start” at United, to which he replied by explaining that although it doesn’t, he feels at home at the club.

Further, revealed his brilliant response to those who advised him against joining the club in 2022, saying that this is “his club”.

“No, but that is not on me. What I feel is, so many people advised negatively when I started in this club. I could have gone into projects with much better conditions, with much better structures but I choose this: Man United.

“I feel this is my club. And I want to go for this challenge although I knew this is very tough, this is very hard.

“But you only know when you are in, and there are some challenges here. But already, we overcame many obstacles and we have to beat even more but, and I said it also in the spring, I feel we are in the right direction. And even in the summer, I think many positives happened that we can accelerate this process.”

Ten Hag also explained that he feels he is in complete alignment with those above him at the club. United recently appointed Dan Ashworth as the new sporting director, Jason Wilcox as the new technical director, and Omar Berrada as the new CEO.

“What I think is I want to collaborate. So togetherness, because I know when you are together, you achieve more success, and I am here to win. But we want to win, so I have to feel this, and when I feel this, we will win.

“We have good people. With highly competent people, they will contribute to more success, and I don’t think negatively. So, regarding your question (his thoughts when INEOS were talking to potential replacements), I don’t think negatively.

“I feel positive and I feel very aligned. They are here, we are building those relationships, and, as I said, we have to prove this point during the season and the next coming years, how strong we are.”

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