On Friday, Eric ten Hag held his press conference before Sunday’s match against Liverpool.
In the first and open part, it was about the anticipation of a couple of players coming back again, and also a bit about the Liverpool game.
In the block segment, first published at 23.30 SST on Saturday night, the focus is, among other things, on Casemiro, the types of managers and having to make tough decisions on your own.
– I had a player at Ajax who set the standards for everyone, and Casemiro is definitely a player in this team. He is a leader and very important to us.
– It’s not just about performance and quality, like scoring with a header or in a team game or breaking an opponent, it’s about organization, mentality and culture. We are so glad we signed him.
– At the same time, this is not surprising. I knew he was an excellent player.
– You just have to look at his profile, this one. Look at everything he won. Not by chance. Same with Varane. Not by chance.
– For me, it goes like this: you have players who win, who always win, and then you have players who lose, who always lose. You then have the task of finding the kind of winning players, who are cooperative in the dressing room, but are also humble, while also being responsible when off the field.
– Then you as a coach can also sit quietly on the bench, because you know that the players will do the job and deal with the situations that arise, so that you win.
– My analysis said it was required
So it was no coincidence that players like Casemiro, Martinez or Anthony, players with personality, ended up at United.
– No, this is what we were looking for, players with personality. It wasn’t just about buying players.
– There are a number of players around the world with great technical qualities or very quick, but we were looking for players who are leaders, have character, take responsibility and are strong. These are the kind of players I wanted after analyzing the team.
One example of the standard set came shortly after winning the League Cup final against Newcastle, when Casemiro appeared to say exactly what he meant about selfish Bruno Fernandes on a late chance.
– We were happy with the cup, but the starting point is that good is not good enough. Yes, it was 2-0, but it could have been 3-0 if we had made better decisions. Perhaps that’s what it’s all about, and I think it’s good for players to take responsibility by setting standards, demanding too much from each other and then taking control of it. Sometimes, individual players need to be corrected.
– There was a lack of discipline in the dressing room (before). I can’t lie about it. At the same time, the big guys love the structure. They like it on the field, but they also need some rules, and it’s very clear in any organization if there is a lack of rules and when there are no consequences for breaking the rules. Then it will be a mess. Everywhere.
Sleeps well after tough decisions
However, he is aware of the consequences of his tough decisions, both in the short and long term, which he felt, among other things, when he thrashed both Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo in the first match against Liverpool.
– We probably had ten days or something between games at the time, so it was about making the right choice, but of course you have to think about the stats and the long term impact of such a choice. At the same time, this is my business. leave it on me
– So the reasons why I chose the way I did it were quite clear, but I also knew the consequences, also of what they would be if the result was negative, which can always happen in football.
– However, that didn’t bother me. I also sleep well on nights like this. I have to make the best decision on behalf of the club. Then I must stand up for them, said Ten Hag.
more: Club and Ten Hag joint statement
“Infuriatingly humble internet trailblazer. Twitter buff. Beer nerd. Bacon scholar. Coffee practitioner.”
