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Erik ten Hag has insisted former Manchester United caretaker manager Ralf Rangnick was right about the problems he inherited when he joined the club.
The Dutchman was in danger of losing his job this summer, but INEOS decided he was the best person to lead the club right now.
Ten Hag previously hinted at a breakdown in communication between himself and the club’s owners earlier in the summer, but there have been more candid and open conversations since the infamous Ibiza meeting where he was told he would continue as manager.
Tell to ~ AD Sports World (Through The Telegraph), 54, spoke candidly about the challenges he faced when he took on the role two years ago.
Ten Hag admitted he inherited a “bad culture” at the club after finishing the 2021/22 season unbeaten in sixth place.
“I wasn’t shocked [by what I inherited]. But the culture, the mindset, was really bad. To win, to be at our best every week, we had to change a lot of things.”
“Rangnick was absolutely right. We’ve been working very hard on it for two years, but he was right when he said it was a very complex task.”
The Germans famously argued that sides were necessary. heart surgery And the problems plaguing the club were obvious to everyone.
The former Ajax manager was well aware of how difficult the job was and claimed he had been advised by many not to take up the role as it was considered impossible.
“When I started out I knew it was going to be hard work. I had a lot of people who advised me. Louis van Gaal [the former United manager] do.”
Ten Hag has downgraded expectations for next season, saying the club are still a long way from winning the Premier League or competing in Europe’s top competitions.
“We want to get this club back to where it was 10 years ago, a club that could win the Premier League and the Champions League. I think we’re really far away from that.”
He insisted there had been improvement, with the club winning the Carabao Cup and FA Cup in the last two seasons, but admitted “our standards, our norms and our values still need to be raised”.
The new co-owner has already made his intentions clear with a tough approach to the transfer market and a complete overhaul of the sporting department.
Most United fans will understand that the Red Devils are yet to challenge for the title, but they will be confident that qualifying for the Champions League and remaining competitive in any competition is not out of the question for Ten Hag and his squad.
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