Brazilian footballer and former Ajax forward, David Neres has revealed he once clashed with Erik Ten Hag while they were at Ajax.
David Neres fallout comment with Ten Hag came amidst the tense relationship between Erik Ten Hag and Jadon Sancho.
Recall Erik Ten Hag dropped Jadon Sancho from the Premier League clash against Arsenal at Emirates.
Speaking in Arsenal post-match press conference, Ten Hag revealed he dropped the former Borussia Dortmund forward because he did not live up to expectation in training.
“Jadon Sancho’s performance in training wasn’t good so we didn’t select him. You have to reach a level every day at Manchester United,” he said.
Taking to his social media handle, Jadon Sancho discountenance Erik Ten Hag’s claims insisting he did his best in training but has been scapegoated by the Dutch manager for reasons far from training performance.
He described his treatment by Erik Ten Hag as ‘unfair’ and pledged to fight for his place in the squad.
“Please don’t believe everything that you read. I will not allow to say people something that is very untrue. I have conducted myself very well at the training this week. And I believe there are other reasons in this matter that I won’t go into. I have been a scapegoat for a long time which isn’t fair!”
“All I want to do is play football with a smile on my face and contribute to my team. I respect all the decisions that are made by the coaching staff. And I play with fantastic players and am grateful to do so which I know every week is a challenge. I will continue to fight for this badge no matter what!,” Sancho said.
Erik Ten Hag’s fallout with Jadon Sancho seemed to buttress a new narrative on his ‘clampdown attitude’ towards his players.
Erik Ten Hag first fell out with Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo after continuously benching the player in Premier League matches.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who is now plying his trade with Al Nassr, escalated the faceoff with his bombshell interview which lead to the termination of his contract.
Last season, he dropped Marcus Rashford from Premier League lineup due to training ground issues.
David Neres reveals fallout with Erik Ten Hag while at Ajax
Former Ajax midfielder, who played under Erik Ten Hag, David Neres, has now revealed he clashed with Erik Ten Hag before both left Ajax last summer.
According to David Neres, Erik Ten Hag complained about his hair and asked him to take care of it. Neres said he replied Ten Hag by asking him to take care of his own hair then he will take care of his. The Dutch then took his comment to heart and benched him for two straight matches.
“Erik ten Hag once complained about my hair. I told him to take care of his own hair and I will take care of mine. He benched me for the next two games,” Neres said.
Ten Hag has maintained a ruthless grip on Manchester United squad and has been known for his strong-arm attitude on the dressing room.
From Cristiano Ronaldo faceoff, Marcus Rashford saga, Harry Maguire demotion, David De Gea unceremonious exit, and now Jadon Sancho’s faceoff, the Dutch’s regimented style of player management shows no sign of abating. Neres’ narrative reveals Ten Hag’s hardline attitude towards players didn’t just start at Old Trafford but stretch back to his time at Ajax.
Who is David Neres?
David Neres, 26, is a Sao Paulo-born Brazilian footballer who is currently plying his trade with Portuguese giants Benfica.
He also plays for Brazil national team and has won 7 caps for the team since making his debut for the team in 2019.
Playing as an attacking midfielder from the wings, David Neres started his professional career with Sao Paulo in his home town before making the big move to Europe.
His first career stop in Europe was Jong Ajax in Netherlands in 2017. He he made only 5 Primeira appearances for the club, scoring 3 goals before being courted by Dutch giants Ajax that same year.
David Neres’ career soared at Ajax. He spent five years at the club from 2017 to 2022, making 171 Primeira appearances with 37 goals.
He joined Portuguese side Benfica in 2022 for €15m, signing a five-year contract and has made 36 appearances for the club, scoring 6 goals.
Neres has 3 Eredivisie titles, 2 KNVB Cup, Johan Cruyff Shield with Ajax, including 2022/23 Primeira Liga title with Benfica, and 2019 Copa America with Brazil national team.
