Erik ten Hag shows difference between him and other managers with key “energy” quote

Erik ten Hag has surprised many with the development of his Manchester United side on the pitch this season, but he has also stunned many with his conduction of media duties.

There were unfair murmurs about the Dutchman before he started the job, mainly saying that his accent would be difficult to understand, he’d be difficult in press conferences in general and that he was not fluent in English – he’s proven all of that wrong.

Ten Hag has shown different elements of his character throughout his time talking with the media. He’s not only shown his authority within this set-up but has also been able to talk tactics, long-term vision and even have a laugh at times.

This time around, with the following seven days reading: Leicester City, Barcelona, and Newcastle; Ten Hag shows his mentality, looking ahead to a week which ends with a cup final but has some vital games beforehand.

“Everyone wants to have this experience, to play many games,” he told club media when asked about the upcoming schedule. “Players prefer to play games to training, so they like it every time again.

“Of course, there are demands to get ready for every game and it costs a lot of energy, but it’s what we are paid for. This is our job, we will do that and, first of all, when we start to play football, you want to play big games.

“We are in the position to play big games. That must give energy,” he concluded.

Ten Hag has not been a deflector in the media. That could be due to the fact that his team are playing consistently well and picking up points but he’s not one to complain about the busy schedule. Even with referees, the United boss has been extremely lenient with the officials up until very recently.

However, interestingly enough, we saw Mikel Arteta suggesting that Arsenal should not have played the early kick-off on Saturday against Aston Villa because of their game against Manchester City on Wednesday evening.

The Gunners have played just nine games since the turn of the year. For comparison, United have played 13 and will be at 16 by the time Arsenal get to 10 fixtures.

Read More: Ten Hag hints at permanent role switch between two Manchester United players

Thankfully for Arsenal fans, they were able to battle past Villa and return to top spot, but it’s an interesting factor that Arteta has seemed to result to particular excuses pre-game despite their lightweight schedule.

It will make United fans happier though. They were never ones to accept different excuses made by managers at Old Trafford and have been extremely welcoming to Ten Hag’s brilliantly stark way of communicating.