So the question is, why did Ronaldo, Greenwood, Sancho and now Rashford refuse to respect ten Hag? Each had their own reasons and of course it’s hard for any of us to know for sure, but let’s start by excluding Greenwood whose actions in no way can be ten Hag’s fault, at least as I see it.
Ronaldo? Sorry, but I can’t blame ten Hag for Ronaldo’s physical decline and poor performances before being benched on the ground that his performances weren’t up to standard. My recollection could be off but I distinctly recall Ronaldo refusing to turn up for summer training. One could argue that if a player refuses to turn up for summer training that it’s obviously the manager who’s at fault but I find such an argument to be preposterous. Then Ronaldo refused to come on as a sub and again I fault to see how a player’s petulance because he didn’t get the start is the manager’s fault.
Sancho is the close call between these four. It’s been debated at length here so I’ll make it brief. Sancho had been performing at criminally poor levels before he lashed out at his manager. And it is widely known that Sancho had training discipline issues before we signed him.
Rashford? There is no universe in which it can be argued that a player going on a drinking binge in Belfast, or down the road from Carrington, is the manager’s fault.