Ten Hag explains why he took the Manchester United job

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By Martin Graham | 19th Jul 2022

Ten Hag is just three weeks into the Man Utd job but has expressed optimism at the task before him. The Dutchman explained why he took the United job and what he expects from the team.

Manchester United is a club bedeviled with problems that have taken the heads of four managers and into their fifth since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. The rot at United was already in gear with Ferguson at the helm. It’s safe to say Sir Alex Ferguson bailed from the boat before it hit the rapids.

David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer failed to return Manchester United to its former glory. It was a combination of poor planning, improper player purchases, impatience and an indigent program that did not serve the club well.

Jose Mourinho is the last manager to win a trophy for the Red Devils. Ole Gunnar Solksjaer was perhaps the biggest misadventure in the annals of Manchester United.

It is a new page at old Trafford to be spearheaded by another Dutch manager – Erik Ten Hag. Against the advice of Louis van Gaal, Ten Hag is the new manager at Manchester United. Ten Hag recently spoke with journalists explaining why he took the job and his aspirations for United.

Ten Hag at the helm

After nine years of not winning the Premier League and five without a trophy of any shape, United are in their worst form in a long time. The red side of Manchester United expects to turn the tide with the signing of former Ajax manager Erik Ten Hag.

Whether Ten Hag can revive the club and begin to challenge the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City is a different ball game, but the expectations remain high. The job is not a walk in the park for the Dutchman as other clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspurs have reinforced and are keen to upset the apple cart.

The assignment is massive despite the signing of Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen. United are still interested in signing Frenkie de Jong amid the hopes and aspirations of Ten Hag for United.

Why Ten Hag took the United job

Ten Hag seems to be a pragmatic manager. The Dutchman has been giving off enough exciting soundbites as he talks about his aspirations for the club. Speaking with journalists, including ESPN, Ten Hag said the United job is not easy. It is why he accepted the offer. According to the former Ajax manager, it gives him joy and energy.

Ten Hag said he has a strong belief. He opined that it is a big challenge, but it has not been any easier everywhere else, and he has always gotten the maximum out of his teams. He, however, acknowledged that it is his most arduous task.

The former Ajax boss opined that it would take a process to fix the problems at United. He is confident about the job at hand. He refused to agree on the time it would take to catch up with Manchester City and Liverpool.

Speaking on Cristiano Ronaldo, Ten Hag said his status remains unchanged but expects the Portuguese star to join up with the team. He is not worried about his fitness, saying Ronaldo is training and as a top professional, he will return to the team fit. Ten Hag praised Ronaldo and believes he can fit into any tactic the team has to play.

Ten Hag also has high hopes for Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire.