Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Ten Hag must prove he has vital personality trait despite improved Man Utd form

mirror.co.uk, 18 September 2022, 05:00
Manchester United have put together an impressive winning run in the Premier League but their loss at home to Real Sociedad called into question Erik ten Hag's mettle Erik ten Hag is yet to show he has the X-factor of his Premier League rivals

Erik ten Hag's Manchester United have been resurgent in the Premier League in recent weeks but the Real Sociedad defeat re-raised questions about his suitability for the Old Trafford job.

That's the view of Mirror Sport columnist Stan Collymore, the former Liverpool and England striker who still isn't sure Ten Hag has the character to carry a club of United's magnitude. Collymore said: "Manchester United have been excellent in the Premier League in the last few weeks — the victories against Liverpool and Arsenal were very good.

"But the sad passing of The Queen sent the Real Sociedad result under the radar and, if we're giving pats on the backs for the style they showed and results they gained against Arsenal and Liverpool, then you have to say the Sociedad performance wasn't good enough as well.

"The key takeout from those games is that United now need to be consistent. They were down and out a few weeks ago, punters were ready to turn, Ten Hag looked feckless and had the look of a manager who wasn't gong to be a million miles from the sack if he wasn't careful.

"Then, within two weeks, he was a tactical genius who'd ridden out the storm and instilled confidence and belief. It's still very early days, of course, and the signs are there that he has at least a pliable and malleable team to be able to work with.

"One which will listen to him and want to play the way he does, which is high-pressing and high-octane. That falls into line with the rest of clubs at the top of world football.

"The question, though, is when he goes through another period of adversity, will he fall because he hasn't got the same X-factor that Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have? I've asked this, too, of Graham Potter, who I like a lot.

"Does he have the personality to be able to walk into a press conference for three of four games when you go on a losing run with a big club and convince people to come along on your path. Time will tell with Potter at a club of Chelsea 's size and with Ten Hag, it's the same thing.

"Ten Hag explains technical detail very well and when he came out after those victories against Liverpool and Arsenal, it was all of a sudden, 'Oh, he's making lots of sense and the way he is describing his technical and philosophical take on football is very good'.

Does Erik ten Hag have what it takes to succeed at Manchester United? Have your say in the comments!

"But personality is ultimately what gets managers sacked or not and I'm not sure the Dutchman is an 'I'm-going-to-take-you-on-a-journey' kind of manager. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was lacking that but the fact he was a United legend meant he got time.

"Ten Hag will be asked more questions about his ability to bring men and organisations along with him this season than Klopp or Pep will. That's because they have already proved they can not only coach great teams but bring huge swathes of people — ownership, players and supporters — along with them.

"Ten Hag hasn't yet - and we need to know whether or not he can."

Read more

Top Man Utd stories

Ten Hag's telling Ronaldo comments

Ajax's 2017 scouting report of Martinez

Pogba's angry Ronaldo response

Greenwood's inclusion in squad explained

Top News

22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly told Mykhaylo Mudryk that he is still in their first-team plans ahead of the January transfer window. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has reportedly not yet made a full recovery from the knock he suffered prior to the international break. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Legendary striker Robert Lewandowski has revealed he was close to joining Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United in 2012. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Xabi Alonso will hope that his Bayer Leverkusen side can return to winning ways when they welcome strugglers Heidenheim to BayArena in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Wayne Rooney gives Romeo Montague a run for his money with wife Coleen revealing he writes her love poetry. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Six places separate Wolfsburg and Union Berlin in the Bundesliga table ahead of Saturday's gameweek 11 match at the Volkswagen Arena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Borussia Dortmund have already fallen behind in the title race and will at least aim to stay within touching distance of the Champions League qualifications spots when they welcome Freiburg to Signal Iduna Park on Saturday in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A crunch clash at the bottom sees Heracles and RKC Waalwijk go head to head at the Asito Stadium on Saturday evening in gameweek 13 of the Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Stuttgart sit a disappointing 11th in the Bundesliga table before welcoming cellar-dwelling VfL Bochum in Saturday's gameweek 11 action at the MHPArena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brentford boss Thomas Frank has confirmed that Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa will both be available for Saturday's Premier League away meeting with Everton. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Benfica and Estrela Amadora return to action on Saturday when they go head to head at the Estadio da Luz in the fourth round of the Taca de Portugal. 21 November 2024 talksport.com West Ham have sounded out former Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic as a potential replacement for Julen Lopetegui, talkSPORT understands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to move back into the top six of the League One table, Huddersfield Town will welcome Charlton Athletic to the John Smith's Stadium on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com talkSPORT's Ally McCoist has opened up about living with Dupuytren's contracture, an incurable hereditary condition that affects the hands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Luton Town will welcome Hull City to Kenilworth Road on Saturday for a crucial game at the bottom end of the Championship table. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Martin Odegaard is everything for Arsenal - he's at the heartbeat of everything positive they do. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to go top of the Championship table with a fifth straight victory, Sheffield United will travel to take on Coventry City on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk RB Leipzig will aim to prevent the five-point gap to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich from extending by claiming all three points at Hoffenheim's PreZero Arena on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Champions League hopefuls Eintracht Frankfurt will hope to maintain their five-point advantage over Werder Bremen after hosting them on Saturday at Deutsche Bank Park in their 11th Bundesliga outing of the season. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Newcastle defender Lewis Hall says his lack of game time in the first-team left him 'in a dark place' last season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams who could really do with a victory kick off round 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season as Go Ahead Eagles welcome Almere City to De Adelaarshorst on Saturday afternoon. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Promotion-chasing Barnsley are favourites heading into Saturday's gameweek 17 League One match at Oakwell. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Feyenoord and Heerenveen will both be looking to pick up where they left off right before the international break in Saturday's meeting at De Kuip in matchday 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City officially announce that manager Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year contract extension. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Girona will be bidding to make it three straight wins in La Liga for the first time this season when they welcome Espanyol to Estadi Montilivi on Saturday evening. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk An in-form Las Palmas will be aiming to make it five wins from their last six matches in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign at home to Mallorca on Saturday night. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Following four straight defeats leading into the international break, Aston Villa will return to action on Saturday, when Crystal Palace pay a visit to Villa Park. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly set a £100m asking price for Enzo Fernandez amid interest from Real Madrid. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Saudi Pro League action will return to the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium this weekend when Al Khaleej play host to the defending champions Al-Hilal on Saturday evening. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Atletico Madrid will be aiming to make it five straight wins in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign against Alaves at Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday afternoon.