Erik ten Hag reacted to Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace by saying he “understands” the boos from the home fans.
“I understand. We play at home and we play – we have to win, with all respect,” the Dutchman said. “I know every game in the Premier League is difficult. You have to play your best and I understand fans expect the best.”
Ten Hag also admitted that United’s start to the season is not good enough. “It’s a bad start and we have to catch up. We have to do better. This isn’t good enough.”
When asked if there are any excuses for the defeat, Ten Hag said: “I can give you reasons but you will explain it as an excuse, and there are no excuses. We need to win.”
Ten Hag has been under pressure since taking over at United in the summer, and the defeat to Palace will only add to that. However, he remains defiant and says he is confident that he can turn things around.
“We have to work hard and improve,” he said. “We have to be more consistent and we need to get a row of wins. We have to do that as soon as possible.”
It will be interesting to see how Ten Hag responds in the coming weeks and months. If he can’t start to get results soon, he may find himself under even more pressure.
Who is Erik ten Hag?
Erik ten Hag is a Dutch professional football manager and former player who is the current manager of Premier League club Manchester United.
He began his playing career as a centre-back with Twente, De Graafschap, RKC Waalwijk, and Utrecht. He retired in 2002 at the age of 32.
Ten Hag started his coaching career in the youth academy at Twente. He was appointed manager of Go Ahead Eagles in 2012, leading them to promotion to the Eredivisie in his only season at the club.
In 2013, Ten Hag joined Bayern Munich’s reserve team, where he spent two seasons. In 2015, he was appointed manager of Utrecht. He won the KNVB Cup with Utrecht in 2016 and was named Manager of the Year in the Eredivisie.
In 2017, Ten Hag was appointed manager of Ajax. He led Ajax to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019, as well as winning two Eredivisie titles and two KNVB Cups.
Ten Hag joined Manchester United in the summer of 2022. He has been tasked with rebuilding the team and restoring them to their former glory.
Ten Hag is known for his attacking style of play and his attention to detail. He is also a demanding coach who expects high standards from his players.
It remains to be seen whether Ten Hag can succeed at Manchester United, but he is certainly a talented manager with a proven track record.
