Erik ten Hag | 2022/23 & 2023/24

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His preference for Dutch and Ajax players is a bit concerning. We are in a crucial period, so if he wishes to work with what he knows, then so be it. Hopefully, next summer, he will have a broader outlook.
 
Takes his squad out on tour tomorrow and he’s been given a deputy left back and a star player who is refusing to come back after his holiday.

I said that this poor bastard didn’t stand a chance when he was appointed and I’m seeing very little to make me change my mind.

Indeed.

The odds of him doing a decent job are low. New league. Players with very poor mentality. Our best outfield player is looking for another club because he knows the squad is crap. Unable and unwilling to let go of the deadwood players who everybody knows aren't good enough. A scouting network who are so poor that they have been unable to find a single "gem" in the last decade. The last manager who gave a damning assessment of the current batch of players - fired!

ETH has basically been given a bunch of turds and been told to polish them into diamonds.
I've said from the get-go that he is being set up to fail and it would take a miracle for him to not to be fired within 3 years.
 
His preference for Dutch and Ajax players is a bit concerning. We are in a crucial period, so if he wishes to work with what he knows, then so be it. Hopefully, next summer, he will have a broader outlook.
Its pretty standard, new coach takes over a team with issues and wants to bring in players familiar with him and his style. Helps accelerate any system implementation. Also the actual quality of players, Frenkie especially being literally the dream signing if I had free pick out of any to be a deep lying playmaker signing in the world with his talent, age profile and what he did with ten hag.
 
His preference for Dutch and Ajax players is a bit concerning. We are in a crucial period, so if he wishes to work with what he knows, then so be it. Hopefully, next summer, he will have a broader outlook.
This was known before he signed, i've posted about that many times. But a lot of people thought the Ajax signings were made by Ten Hag and not Overmars . Ten Hag only goes for familiar faces :lol:
 
This was known before he signed, i've posted about that many times. But a lot of people thought the Ajax signings were made by Ten Hag and not Overmars . Ten Hag only goes for familiar faces :lol:
That's on us. That's the failing of our hierarchy. They seem even more reliant on the manager's recruitment knowledge than ever before. Manager should have the final say but this feels extreme even by our standards. It's now presented like this was always going to be the case but heading into the summer all the twitter ITKs said the exact opposite would be the case this summer so there's some retroactive goalshifting. I don't actually see much that has changed in our M.O. It looks like at our club the manager is still by default the most qualified to handle recruitment, even someone like ETH who wasn't driving recruitment in his old job at a smaller club. It's not inherently a bad thing but if these transfers bomb we're going to be back to square one pointing fingers and moaning about managers being too influential.
 
A lot of people are feeling down, but I think we'll make top 4 and ETH will have us playing really well by season's end.

Our competitors aren't infallible either.
 
That's on us. That's the failing of our hierarchy. They seem even more reliant on the manager's recruitment knowledge than ever before. Manager should have the final say but this feels extreme even by our standards. It's now presented like this was always going to be the case but heading into the summer all the twitter ITKs said the exact opposite would be the case this summer so there's some retroactive goalshifting. I don't actually see much that has changed in our M.O. It looks like at our club the manager is still by default the most qualified to handle recruitment, even someone like ETH who wasn't driving recruitment in his old job at a smaller club. It's not inherently a bad thing but if these transfers bomb we're going to be back to square one pointing fingers and moaning about managers being too influential.

Murtough wants the team to play a high pressing game on the front foot with control.

None of our players are used to this system, some of them (read as a majority) have not played in such a system ever.

A lot of our first teamers have arrived a week late to pre season, and have had 3 days on the grass with Ten Hag before flying to Thailand tomorrow. They then have days between preseason matches to work on things. They then fly to Australia for more of the same and whilst preseason games SHOULD help the squad get used to things, we haven't exactly arranged ourselves the easiest of runs to maximise buy in and confidence.

Then its back home and pretty much straight into the new season as this pre season is shorter than usual due to the Quatar World Cup.

So how can we as a club maximise and speed up the process of rebuilding into this style of play? We can of course go with scout recommendations of players that can play a similar style. But here's the thing, most of them are already successful cogs in different systems, they would take time to get used to Ten Hag and his system.

Here we have the opportunity to buy a CB, CM and Attacker that know expectations, are familiar and can set example on the pitch from the off wether they join today or deadline day, strengthened with experience from Eriksen and youth talents like Malacia.

Essentially this window is about building the system quickly given the circumstance. Which if we are serious about playing this style of football going forward will mean in the future we can sign players that slot around players familiar faster which decreases the skill gap that is currently massive.

It is also at no detriment to the clubs new structure nor does it undermine it if you look at the BIGGER picture. The sooner the system is in place and working the sooner we know which square pegs no longer work in the round holes and where to scout, by decreasing the skill gap, when it comes to bringing in new management that we want to continue the project, it won't mean another rebuild.
 
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His preference for Dutch and Ajax players is a bit concerning. We are in a crucial period, so if he wishes to work with what he knows, then so be it. Hopefully, next summer, he will have a broader outlook.


Honestly are these posts bots?

They always follow the same pattern and always end with "concerning".


Or are people reading it from some fanpage and just copying the wording.

It's very concerning
 
Indeed.

The odds of him doing a decent job are low. New league. Players with very poor mentality. Our best outfield player is looking for another club because he knows the squad is crap. Unable and unwilling to let go of the deadwood players who everybody knows aren't good enough. A scouting network who are so poor that they have been unable to find a single "gem" in the last decade. The last manager who gave a damning assessment of the current batch of players - fired!

ETH has basically been given a bunch of turds and been told to polish them into diamonds.
I've said from the get-go that he is being set up to fail and it would take a miracle for him to not to be fired within 3 years.
:lol: oh this post has tickled me, I needed that this morning
 
It's clear that ETH has major say in transfer where all of our targets and signings are related to Dutch football one way or another.

The worrying parts are:

1) Many Ajax's supporters here already warned that ETH's has average track records in transfer at Ajax. Most of the good signings were made by Overmars.

2) We are supposed to have already revamped our football structure but it's still look no way as functional as a big club should be. The club should buy players based on certain philosophy and appoint a coach to play the style and not the other way round.
 
I don't think anybody really expects him to dislodge Shaw immediately. It'll take him a while to adjust to the league.

On top form Shaw is arguably our best player, but it all depends how fit he is after his operation.
Our best player?
 
It's clear that ETH has major say in transfer where all of our targets and signings are related to Dutch football one way or another.

The worrying parts are:

1) Many Ajax's supporters here already warned that ETH's has average track records in transfer at Ajax. Most of the good signings were made by Overmars.

2) We are supposed to have already revamped our football structure but it's still look no way as functional as a big club should be. The club should buy players based on certain philosophy and appoint a coach to play the style and not the other way round.
this is true, but to be fair, the players he's targeting are great players. So it's not all bad.
 
It's clear that ETH has major say in transfer where all of our targets and signings are related to Dutch football one way or another.

The worrying parts are:

1) Many Ajax's supporters here already warned that ETH's has average track records in transfer at Ajax. Most of the good signings were made by Overmars.

2) We are supposed to have already revamped our football structure but it's still look no way as functional as a big club should be. The club should buy players based on certain philosophy and appoint a coach to play the style and not the other way round.
Well ETH is buying players based on his philosophy and a way he wants us to play. He's new to the club and he's starting with the players he knows and trusts, over time he'll get synced with the club's structure and scouts. If in a year he's still dipping only in Eredivisie than we can be worried. At the moment its not a thing to worry about.
As you said we've revamped the structure but the job is still not finished.
 
Takes his squad out on tour tomorrow and he’s been given a deputy left back and a star player who is refusing to come back after his holiday.

I said that this poor bastard didn’t stand a chance when he was appointed and I’m seeing very little to make me change my mind.
Indeed.

The odds of him doing a decent job are low. New league. Players with very poor mentality. Our best outfield player is looking for another club because he knows the squad is crap. Unable and unwilling to let go of the deadwood players who everybody knows aren't good enough. A scouting network who are so poor that they have been unable to find a single "gem" in the last decade. The last manager who gave a damning assessment of the current batch of players - fired!

ETH has basically been given a bunch of turds and been told to polish them into diamonds.
I've said from the get-go that he is being set up to fail and it would take a miracle for him to not to be fired within 3 years.

Admittedly I’m sure he would have liked his business done but Malacia is completed, Eriksen pending a medical and Martinez looking likely. That leaves FdJ and this one really isn’t on the board it’s on Barca but both the club and EtH feel he’s worth relenting with so I’d sooner go with that (I also think it’s likely he joins us before the seasons start). The Ronaldo issue again seems sudden so let’s see how it plays out and how the club deal with it.

What he does have is some talented under performing first team players that I think he can work with (Varane, Sancho, Bruno to name a few) and a batch of youngsters that just won the FA youth cup and has bags of talent. When you add to that players like Hannibal, Garner, Amad and Pellestri even the most negative of us would surely struggle to say he will make zero improvements to what he has.

He and his coaches will develop a club style and ethos which will run throughout the club. He will get his signings in and things will be better than they were. Just temper your expectations and try and enjoy it.
 
Does EtH actually expect young men in their 20s and 30s, loaded with money and surrounded by leaches pretending to be friends, to actually avoid alcohol for 9 months of the year?
This isn’t sustainable and if he now goes easy on this rule, players will expect him to also make concessions elsewhere.
Also - there is a huge risk of bingeing on off-weeks as players will try to fit in as much before the on-weeks start. This is why cheat days or cheat meals fail. Players are also humans.
A better idea would be to tell the players about self control: tiny portions of alcohol or sweets every now and then to keep them motivated to train hard. Remind them that their BMI is being monitored and they stand to lose their place if they’re unfit.
This is what works with even professional bodybuilders. Even Arnold S and Ronnie Coleman ( 8x Mr Olympia) have spoken about this.
Yeah, it's really strange to expect men in their 20s and 30s to be professional and keep fit. And to avoid leaches pretending to be friends.
 
It's clear that ETH has major say in transfer where all of our targets and signings are related to Dutch football one way or another.

The worrying parts are:

1) Many Ajax's supporters here already warned that ETH's has average track records in transfer at Ajax. Most of the good signings were made by Overmars.

2) We are supposed to have already revamped our football structure but it's still look no way as functional as a big club should be. The club should buy players based on certain philosophy and appoint a coach to play the style and not the other way round.


Honestly not sure if serious,



They literally just hired Hag to follow this new direction thru, on top of all the major changes to technical side and back room, scouting etc all happening this year as well and then they've went and hired the best manager to try to implement these changes on the pitch to go with the changes off it.

And he's actively recruiting players right now that fit the managers outlook on how the team should play, and they will be the plan for the next 5 years.


I mean did it need explaining have you been under a rock this last 6 months :lol:
 
His preference for Dutch and Ajax players is a bit concerning. We are in a crucial period, so if he wishes to work with what he knows, then so be it. Hopefully, next summer, he will have a broader outlook.

I agree, it's a bad look. It suggests that United still don't have a competent scouting and recruitment team and are just listening to what the manager wants so he can have maximum comfort. Can he coach players or not? If so, why can't the club pursue some people that he doesn't know intimately? Even Eriksen is someone that he's already formed a relationship with.

One or two Ajax/Dutch targets is fine, but practically every single player the club is linked to being someone he is already familiar with? That's not how you're supposed to recruit. For starters, many of those guys will be highly coveted and expensive, which means you're missing out on less heralded players from elsewhere who could be equally good.
 
I agree, it's a bad look. It suggests that United still don't have a competent scouting and recruitment team and are just listening to what the manager wants so he can have maximum comfort. Can he coach players or not? If so, why can't the club pursue some people that he doesn't know intimately? Even Eriksen is someone that he's already formed a relationship with.

One or two Ajax/Dutch targets is fine, but practically every single player the club is linked to being someone he is already familiar with? That's not how you're supposed to recruit. For starters, many of those guys will be highly coveted and expensive, which means you're missing out on less heralded players from elsewhere who could be equally good.
I presume he coached some of the players he wants to buy. He wants to get the system up and running quickly. He might not have gone down this road if the players at the club weren't spoilt brats.
 
One or two Ajax/Dutch targets is fine, but practically every single player the club is linked to being someone he is already familiar with? That's not how you're supposed to recruit. For starters, many of those guys will be highly coveted and expensive, which means you're missing out on less heralded players from elsewhere who could be equally good.
I'm fine with that. As long as they've proven themselves to be better or potentially be better than what we have. In Eredivise there are so many good talents, it's not bad at all if you're looking for players and they're quite affordable in relation to the quality you get. What we need to avoid is Premier League if possible because everyone gets stupidly expensive and doesn't necessarily mean they'll do better. You can use Champions League as an example. Look at how many ex/current AJAX players played like the competition was their home compared to our players who shat the bed everytime the anthem is being played. Put this current side against AJAX from last year and they'll be schooled around.
 
His preference for Dutch and Ajax players is a bit concerning. We are in a crucial period, so if he wishes to work with what he knows, then so be it. Hopefully, next summer, he will have a broader outlook.

That's if he gets next season. I'd say his leash should be quite short this season, because if his signings don't work out it's completely his own fault.
 
Well ETH is buying players based on his philosophy and a way he wants us to play. He's new to the club and he's starting with the players he knows and trusts, over time he'll get synced with the club's structure and scouts. If in a year he's still dipping only in Eredivisie than we can be worried. At the moment its not a thing to worry about.
As you said we've revamped the structure but the job is still not finished.

Sorry, but I can't agree. Think of the top guys. They all have systems and philosophies. Did Fergie only buy players from Aberdeeen when he came to United? Did Klopp only buy players from Dorrmund when he came to Liverpool? Did Pep only buy players from Barca when he went to Bayern and from Bayern and Barca when he went to City? Of course not. In each case they maybe bought one or two guys from their old clubs, but if you're a top coach, you don't have to buy everyone from your previous team to function.
 
Sorry, but I can't agree. Think of the top guys. They all have systems and philosophies. Did Fergie only buy players from Aberdeeen when he came to United? Did Klopp only buy players from Dorrmund when he came to Liverpool? Did Pep only buy players from Barca when he went to Bayern and from Bayern and Barca when he went to City? Of course not. In each case they maybe bought one or two guys from their old clubs, but if you're a top coach, you don't have to buy everyone from your previous team to function.

Well he is buying only few from his old club, you would think he brought half of Ajax reading your post.
 
Sorry, but I can't agree. Think of the top guys. They all have systems and philosophies. Did Fergie only buy players from Aberdeeen when he came to United? Did Klopp only buy players from Dorrmund when he came to Liverpool? Did Pep only buy players from Barca when he went to Bayern and from Bayern and Barca when he went to City? Of course not. In each case they maybe bought one or two guys from their old clubs, but if you're a top coach, you don't have to buy everyone from your previous team to function.

Drama Queen much
 
That's if he gets next season. I'd say his leash should be quite short this season, because if his signings don't work out it's completely his own fault.

The only way he doesn't get next season if this season is an unmitigated disaster the likes we haven't seen in 30+ odd years.

I am pretty confident we surprise a lot of people this season.
 
Sorry, but I can't agree. Think of the top guys. They all have systems and philosophies. Did Fergie only buy players from Aberdeeen when he came to United? Did Klopp only buy players from Dorrmund when he came to Liverpool? Did Pep only buy players from Barca when he went to Bayern and from Bayern and Barca when he went to City? Of course not. In each case they maybe bought one or two guys from their old clubs, but if you're a top coach, you don't have to buy everyone from your previous team to function.
@Adnan nicely explained who and from what league did Klopp buy when he came to Liverpool. He's not buying 'everyone'. And even if he's buying from his old club why is that a problem. He's starting at his new job and he wants players he knows and trusts. I see this is going to be a nice agenda over the year. I mean, season hasnt even started yet this is a theme which is getting bigger and bigger. What should he do, he has a philosophy, a style he'll pursue and thinks for now those and those players are best for him to implement it through them. Over time, once the team gels and structure at the club changes some more he'll buy players who are not from Ajax or Eredivisie. Not only that, for now he bought a guy from Feyenoord, from a league he knows, just like Klopp in the beginning bought from Bundesliga and Eriksen played for Ajax like 8 years ago. (I see you mentioned he formed a relationship with him, what kind of relationship, they spoke on the phone?) So how exactly is that 'everyone' from Ajax, care to explain?
 
That's if he gets next season. I'd say his leash should be quite short this season, because if his signings don't work out it's completely his own fault.
Nice to see United fans being their old patient selves.
 
Well he is buying only few from his old club, you would think he brought half of Ajax reading your post.

I thought that too

he’s bought one player so far, two of you include Eriksen - and neither are his former players

it’s the new Brexit FC
 
Sorry, but I can't agree. Think of the top guys. They all have systems and philosophies. Did Fergie only buy players from Aberdeeen when he came to United? Did Klopp only buy players from Dorrmund when he came to Liverpool? Did Pep only buy players from Barca when he went to Bayern and from Bayern and Barca when he went to City? Of course not. In each case they maybe bought one or two guys from their old clubs, but if you're a top coach, you don't have to buy everyone from your previous team to function.
Those managers outside of Fergie bought well known players, at least 90% of them, don't tell me signings like Salah was an "unknown gem". Everyone in FIFA, PES and FM community knew he had the raw skills. So that's 30% of earth population that knew Salah could be a good signing. It's just that because he was at Roma at the time, Pool didn't get rinsed. So how is it that you're complaining about us signing highly coveted players when Klopp and Pep did just that. It's not the origin but the quality of the players themselves. They can be playing in Japan for all I care. Good talents are good talents.
 
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