Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag insists the club want to rebuild under him despite reports to the contrary.
Ten Hag’s side face Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday – live on talkSPORT – with serious doubts over the Dutchman’s future.
Reports on Friday claimed the Red Devils have decided to sack Ten Hag regardless of whether they win at Wembley.
But in a new interview with Dutch media, released on Saturday, Ten Hag suggests he is very much part of United’s plans.
He told Voetbal International: “They said they want to change everything and that they want to rebuild with me.
“This is what they told me directly.”
Asked for his verdict on United’s season, Ten Hag admitted: “Let me be clear. It has been bad. It has been crap.
“But despite everything, we are going to play an FA Cup final.”
United suffered their worst ever Premier League season during the 2023/24 campaign, finishing eighth – and their hopes of European football next year rely on winning the FA Cup.
But Ten Hag, who arrived in 2022 and won the Carabao Cup in his first season in charge, defended his record and laid bare the various challenges outside his control.
He said: “The injuries have been really crazy.
“Not long ago, I had to start my 15th different centre-back duo of the season. I have had 33 different defensive lines this season.
“Sofyan Amrabat had to play left back four times. We have had injuries all over the pitch.
“Casemiro has been out for a long time. Rasmus Hojlund, the striker we bought, suffered from three injuries and I can keep going on and on. This is the core story of our season.
“Tyrell Malacia didn’t play a single minute of football this season. In fact, he didn’t even spend a single moment out on the training pitch.
“We signed him as our back-up for Luke Shaw, who is the best left back in the world. This guy is so good.
“But he has suffered a horrible injury at the start of his career and because of this, he will never be able to play 60 games per season.”
Ten Hag also insisted he is given unfair treatment by pundits who cover English football, taking an explosive swipe at his critics.
The United boss added: “The pundits in England want to score, they want to show they are worth the money, and for that Manchester United is an easy prey.
“It’s the biggest club in England and possibly in the world. The club is either loved or hated, there is no in-between. So when things go bad, they all start talking and talking with very big words.
“All this negativism from these so called experts who don’t have the capability to analyse something with facts, but who prefer to attack people to make themselves look better.
“And these same people were the ones who gave me a pat on the back last year. Last year I was able to walk on water, this year I am the worst manager in the Premier League.”
He also claimed that United’s critics have ‘no sense of reality’ as the club’s rivals have ‘better squads’.
Ten Hag continued: “Manchester United won the league for the last time in 2013, 11 years ago. But still they expect us to win every game while competing at the top. This club is not ready for that.
“We were supposed to start building something and we made the first steps last year, but then you find out how big this club is and that nobody is ever satisfied.
“Within the club people were satisfied, but outside the club there was noise by saying I won only the Carabao Cup, lost the FA Cup Final and became 3rd.”
Man United’s ownership model underwent drastic changes earlier this year when Sir Jim Ratcliffe bought a 25 per cent stake in the club and took charge of football operations.
With United set to enter their first transfer window under Ratcliffe’s team, Ten Hag has listed exactly what they need after a number of underwhelming signings in recent years.
He said: “We need to sign an extra striker in the summer.
“And if we can sign another central midfielder and a replacement for [Raphael] Varane, things will look good again.
“If the team remains, fit we can try and aim the for top four again.”
News Summary:
- Erik ten Hag drops fiery interview revealing exactly what Manchester United told him about future
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