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Manchester United great Bryan Robson is besotted with new manager Erik ten Hag’s performance as manager. Robson hailed Ten Hag’s disciplinarian approach, claiming that it has been a significant driver in the turnaround of fortunes at the club.
The former United captain praised the new gaffer for restoring order to the dressing room, reiterating that it is evident in the atmosphere at training (via Daily Mail).
Humble beginnings
However, it hasn’t been all sunshine and roses for Ten Hag in his first season as Red Devils manager. The Dutchman suffered back-to-back defeats at the hands of Brighton and Brentford.
It seems like a distant memory, with the former Ajax boss leading United to their first trophy in six years.
Setting a new standard
Ten Hag has shown unwavering command when setting standards of conduct at the club. He is not afraid to bench players that flout the rules, as proven by his punishing of star Marcus Rashford for tardiness.
Red Devils legend Robson was present during United’s pre-season tour in Australia during the 2022 summer. Ten Hag taking control of training is still vivid in Robson’s memory he shared in discussions with Graeme Souness for Sportsmail.
“He’s brought in the discipline back into United, the way they’ve got to train. He knows exactly what he wants on the pitch, so he sets the players out so that they know the direction they’ve got to go in.”
“That doesn’t mean he takes away the flare of the players, but he makes them disciplined, and the work rate has got to be there. That shows even in training, even on pre-season when I was in Australia with them.”
“I watched training every day, and the discipline was there to be seen, and the players knew that that is back within the group of players.”
“Then a couple of the lads were late for a meeting, and for me, he laid the rules there.”
“It’s just things like which you install as a manager where players know the boundaries, and all of a sudden you get more of the discipline on the pitch.”
Onwards and upwards
The Ten Hag era was a godsend for all the Old Trafford faithful following a sixth-place finish in the Premier League in 2021-22 under Ralf Rangnick. Statistically, Rangnick’s tenure was the worst by United boss in the top-flight.
Now, under Ten Hag United has restored its status as an elite club and force to be reckoned with in English football.
The club toppled fellow top-six teams Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Tottenham. The Red Devils have also sent Barcelona crashing out of the Europa League.
Currently third in the Premier League, United travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday. Liverpool has recently experienced a fall from grace and will be looking to dampen the moods of Red Devils fans.
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