Burkina Faso
Czech Republic
Hungary
Lithuania
Nigeria
South Korea
United Arab Emirates

Man Utd warned over "control freak" Erik ten Hag ahead of first summer in charge

mirror.co.uk, 1 June 2022, 05:00
Erik ten Hag has already made a lot of changes ahead of his first summer in charge at Manchester United, and the Dutchman has been called a 'control freak' in the past Erik ten Hag has been called a 'control freak'

Manchester United stars have been warned that things will drastically change under new boss Erik ten Hag.

Former United defender Daley Blind arrived at Old Trafford in 2014, and saw the club go through their early struggles before leaving for Ajax in 2018. The situation hasn't improved at United, and now they've drafted in the Ajax boss to get the club back to winning ways again.

Ten Hag has been extremely successful at Ajax, and Blind has a good relationship with his now former manager. But he has fired a warning to United's current stars that Ten Hag is a 'control freak'.

There aren't many better players to give their opinion on both United's struggles and also Ten Hag's expertise. But Blind has done just that as he has hinted to the United stars exactly what they can expect from their new manager this summer.

"A manager who loves to play attacking football, which is what Man United stands for, I think," Blind told United Daily. "A manager who knows what he wants.

"To keep everyone on board and with the same direction to get that winning mentality and winning trophies. In Ajax, he knows that everyone in the club is important and everyone needs to be involved to get to that winning mentality.

"He wants to keep everything close, and I think he is also a control freak. He wants to be on top of everything." But that's exactly what Sir Alex Ferguson was known for at United, as the legendary boss reportedly knew everything that was going on at Old Trafford.

Stories have been shared from former players that Ferguson knew everything from top to bottom, and also demanded the highest standards and respect. And it's clear to see that it's been lost since his departure in 2013.

Former United goalkeeper Ben Foster was one of those to speak out, as he exclusively told Mirror Football last month: "He held everybody accountable and would hold them all to massively high standards. You've got to have a massive work-rate to do that.

"You have got to be always finger on the pulse and he found out about everything as well - no secrets! It was incredible. He knew everything.

"I don't know if football will ever have anybody like that ever again. That longevity. That long at the top. That much respect in the game. He truly was a one-off. Man Utd was his baby. He ran everything."

United fans will be hoping that Ten Hag can emulate a portion of his success, and get the club firing once again. But the Dutchman has a massive job on his hands, as he is the latest to try his luck after David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick have all failed.

Show more

Top News

21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Leicester City Women will continue their Women's Super League survival bid when they face Brighton & Hove Albion Women in Sunday's clash at the King Power Stadium. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Jude Bellingham has moved ahead of Wayne Rooney in the England record books by earning his latest cap against Albania. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Iceland and Kosovo will complete their UEFA Nations League promotion/relegation playoff tie on Sunday, when they meet at the Estadio Nueva Condomina in Spain. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United defender Ayden Heaven could reportedly resume training with the Red Devils shortly after the international break, with the issue that he suffered against Leicester City last weekend not believed to be serious. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Pau Cubarsi has returned to Barcelona after suffering an ankle injury in Spain's UEFA Nations League quarter-final first leg against Netherlands on Thursday night. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk West Ham United Women will welcome Tottenham Hotspur Women to the Chigwell Construction Stadium for Sunday's Women's Super League clash. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk England boss Thomas Tuchel has named his first starting lineup as Three Lions boss for Friday's World Cup 2026 qualifier against Albania. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Riccardo Calafiori has reportedly given Arsenal a major boost with his knee injury not claimed to be serious. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson is reportedly set to hold 'crunch talks' with the Reds hierarchy over his future at the end of the season. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Follow all the action as Thomas Tuchel takes charge of his first game as England manager against Albania, live on talkSPORT. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Follow all the action as Thomas Tuchel takes charge of his first game as England manager against Albania, live on talkSPORT. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Chelsea's first opponents at this summer's Club World Cup have been expelled from the competition, FIFA has announced. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have reportedly learned how long Riccardo Calafiori will be out for with a knee injury following the defender's withdrawal from the Italy squad. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Ruben Amorim has been told that Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma has the quality to play for Manchester United. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have confirmed that Alisson Becker has pulled out of the Brazil squad after the goalkeeper suffered a worrying injury scare against Colombia. 21 March 2025 talksport.com There were huge smiles at Wembley commentary with Stuart Pearce returning to action after his heart scare. 21 March 2025 talksport.com A brand new football competition begins next week as some of the sport's legends combine with famous faces for six-a-side action. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk England head coach Thomas Tuchel made the right decision not to call up Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri, but the 18-year-old is still a safe bet for the 2026 World Cup squad, expert Charles Watts believes. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he and Georgina Rodriguez are not currently married despite huge speculation. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur could reportedly come forward with a 'super offer' to sign Sporting Lisbon hotshot Viktor Gyokeres in the summer transfer window. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Premier League giants Manchester City will reportedly attempt to sign Swedish starlet Roony Bardghji from Copenhagen. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Lee Carsley is back in his role as England Under-21 head coach and his strong Young Lions squad take on France tonight. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Slovenia will welcome Slovakia for the second leg of their UEFA Nations League playoff tie on Sunday evening, with the contest delicately poised following a goalless draw in the first leg on Thursday night. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Reading face the prospect being thrown out of the Football League unless the club is sold imminently. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Walsall boss Mat Sadler claimed the decision not to request a postponement this weekend was 'out of' the club's hands. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea attacker Joao Felix - currently on loan at AC Milan - could apparently still be offered an escape route out of Stamford Bridge by Aston Villa this summer. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Hoping to extend their quest for a first UEFA Nations League crown, Italy will try to overturn a one-goal deficit in the second leg of their quarter-final tie against Germany. 21 March 2025 talksport.com England manager Thomas Tuchel is set to take charge of his first game tonight, but he won't be singing the national anthem. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal are on the verge of agreeing a new five-year contract with teenage sensation Ethan Nwaneri, according to a report. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Ipswich Town have reportedly identified Kalidou Sidibe as a replacement for Kalvin Phillips, who could leave the club in the summer should they be relegated.