Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has revealed how he found a squad lacking in fighting spirit when he arrived in the summer, a problem he is working hard to fix.
The Dutchman was appointed in the summer, making the move from Ajax, where he had enjoyed several impressive years at the helm of the Eredivisie giants.
His ability to build a team and make them successful was a key point that attracted Manchester United to Ten Hag, with him having done it repeatedly with Ajax regardless of big sales each summer he was in charge.
The success he enjoyed was built on his skill to develop a winning mentality at the club, built open a strong team spirit that often saw them competing consistently against much bigger, more expensively assembled squads.
It’s something he has tried to repeat at Manchester United, even going as far as to join in with team exercises, such as them running 14km following the defeat to Brentford, in which the Bees had outrun them by that distance.
That particular experiment worked, and the Manchester United boss believes he can see signs of improvement from a squad that was broken when he arrived.
“Manchester United won titles in the past based on teamwork and a good dose of fighting spirit,” he told ESPN.
“In the selection I found, these standards and values were far away. This is one of the things I wanted to bring back into the club culture, with this we are in the right direction.
“When I see my team on Sunday, it is not Manchester United. I know they are not robots, although we will have to demand that they show a certain attitude time and again.”
