“Don’t know what they told him”: Erik ten Hag pinpoints moment player power crippled his Man United dream

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Manchester United have been plagued by player power issues for years now.

Player power issues

This issue has reared its ugly head numerous times over the years, but it was particularly evident under Erik ten Hag.

All is clearly not well at the moment either under Michael Carrick, as the side’s form has fallen off a cliff.

Just last week, Lisandro Martinez spoke out against the board and the ambition of the club after their 0-2 loss to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

There are also reportedly issues within the club regarding the return of Marcus Rashford, who is on roughly £300,000 a week.

Source of the problem

In an interview with The Athletic, former manager Erik ten Hag was asked about Martinez’s comments after the Atletico match.

Ten Hag refused to comment on the specifics of what Martinez said, but did add where he thinks the problems of player power may have surfaced during his tenure.

He stated, “I can say I think that’s what the Madrid connection brought in, that players are powerful and they want to decide. In my opinion it didn’t suit the phase United was in. The leadership wanted attacking, dynamic football and these players wanted to play what fitted themselves.”

By the Madrid connection, he was referring to Raphael Varane, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Casemiro.

Specifically regarding his time at the club, Ten Hag laid the blame for Casemiro’s disastrous 2023-2024 campaign at the feet of Ronaldo and Varane.

He asserted, “then of course it looked like he got demotivated. I don’t know what they told him” in reference to his huge dip in form in his second season at the club.

Ten Hag is currently the technical director of FC Twente in his native Netherlands.

Featured image Eddie Keogh via Getty Images

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