Retracing the 7 Man Utd players who had problems with Erik ten Hag before being sacked
- Seven players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, had falling out with Erik ten Hag before the Dutchman was sacked
- Leaving Manchester United is not the best way to end things for Ten Hag
- Ten Hag has often had problems with his players during his two years at the helm of the Red Devils.
Seven players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, have been at loggerheads with Erik ten Hag. Since the Dutchman was sacked as Manchester United manager last month.
However, this parting of ways is not the best for Ten Hag. With both the dressing room and the fans reportedly losing faith in him.
Ten Hag has often had problems with his players. During his two years at the helm of the Red Devils, and here we take a look at 7 of them.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo’s return in the summer of 2021 was a source of excitement for United fans. But things did not go as planned as the Portuguese’s second spell at Old Trafford came to an end sooner than expected.
Just over a year after arriving in Manchester. The superstar’s contract was torn up after a bombshell interview with Piers Morgan.
In the interview, Ronaldo criticised the low standards of the club and Ten Hag. Branding them “liars” and also saying he had no respect for the manager.
As a result, Ronaldo left Manchester United and moved to play in the Saudi Arabian league with Al-Nassr.
Jadon Sancho
Jadon Sancho’s £73m move has put a lot of pressure on him. But the England forward’s relationship with Ten Hag was severed. When he was dropped for the สมัคร ufabet game against Arsenal after a poor performance in training.
Sancho was certainly not happy, hitting back in a post-match social media post, calling the claims “absolutely untrue” and calling himself a “scapegoat” – something Ten Hag was understandably furious about.
In January that year, Sancho was loaned back to Borussia Dortmund, and although he appeared to have settled his issues with Ten Hag earlier this season. He was eventually sold to Chelsea, and their relationship has yet to be mended.
Zidane Iqbal
Ten Hag doesn’t just have problems with senior players. With young midfielder Zidane Iqbal also one of the players who the Dutch coach is not very happy with.
Back in July 2022, Iqbal, who had been handed a first-team chance in pre-season. Appeared to have a bright future ahead of him, but there was one thing that had Ten Hag fuming.
Ten Hag was seen verbally abusing the youngster during training, shouting: “Keep the ball on the floor… Zidane! Hey! Keep the ball! You’re a piece of shit!”
Iqbal only made one senior appearance and was then sold to Utrecht for just £850,000 last year.
Harry Maguire
Despite his early impressive form, Harry Maguire has fallen down the pecking order with Ten Hag keen to see the defender leave the club. Even stripping him of his captaincy.
West Ham United tried hard to sign Maguire but it didn’t happen. On the other hand, Maguire wants to stay and fight for his place.
Although Maguire has impressed enough to start regularly. During the team’s injury crisis, the signings of Matthijs de Ligt and Leni Yoro are signs that Ten Hag does not trust the former Leicester City star.
Anthony Martial
Anthony Martial has been ruled out of Ten Hag’s first-team squad for 2023, not due to injury but illness.
After missing four games due to illness. Ten Hag believed Martial was not fit enough and forced him to train alone, a decision widely seen as cruel.
Before the new year, Martial suffered a groin injury and underwent surgery in January 2024, ending his time at Old Trafford and now plays for AEK Athens.
Marcus Rashford
Despite being the standout in Ten Hag’s debut season, scoring 30 goals in all competitions, Rashford’s form has dipped since then.
Back on December 31, 2022, Manchester United travelled to Wolverhampton Wanderers and dropped Rashford from the bench, with Ten Hag citing the star as waking up late and arriving 45 seconds late for a team meeting.
Rashford later told Gary Neville that he wasn’t even that late, although he did score the winning goal in the game, but his performances were poor the following season and didn’t improve.
David De Gea
Despite being a key player for Manchester United, winning the club’s Player of the Year award multiple times, Ten Hag decided to look for a new goalkeeper immediately after taking over as manager.
Contract talks between the club and De Gea fell through in 2023, with the Spanish goalkeeper leaving as a free agent, having only signed for Fiorentina this year.
De Gea has consistently made ambiguous posts during the time Ten Hag was in trouble, as well as when the Dutchman was sacked last month, with fans believing the 34-year-old was delighted the news was true.