Erik ten Hag has spoken at length about his Manchester United tenure in a published interview with his agency.
Under the moniker SEG Stories, his agency SEG spoke to the 55-year-old who reflected on his time at Old Trafford, suggesting that some players could not take criticism well.
Asked what plays a massive role in football today, Ten Hag replied: “A player’s well-being. How they handle media, fan reactions, social media – it affects their game.
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“For some, it’s positive, for others negative. This generation struggles with criticism – it hits them hard. My generation had thicker skin; you could be much more direct with us. If I used that approach now, I’d demotivate them – they’d be at HR the next day.”
The Dutchman, who was sacked as Man United boss in October following a series of poor results, was then asked if he felt he was a good coach or not.
“What’s a good coach?” he replied. “I’ve developed well, but I’m not satisfied. There’s room to improve. I’m decent, I think. I see so much room to get better. That’s the beauty of sport – there’s always growth, as a coach, as a person.”
Erik ten Hag admits that he ‘loved’ being at Man United
“I loved it. English football, the fans – I’ve said it before, fans so passionate about the club, so dedicated, so loyal to the team, the staff, and to me as manager.
“I can only be grateful for that. We gave them something too – two trophies after six years of nothing. I felt appreciated.
“You’d notice it walking the streets of Manchester – people stopping you, so positive, backing you, thrilled we won the FA Cup, even beating Manchester City.”