Erik ten Hag, manager of Manchester United, spoke about how professional players are always battling hard for their future.
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Manchester United will hope to bounce back quickly after suffering a shock exit at the quarter-final stage of the Europa League on Thursday night. It was more than the loss, the manner of the defeat that raised alarm bells. After throwing away a 2-0 lead in the first leg to settle for a draw, Manchester United were outplayed by the Spaniards 3-0 in the second leg. Despite the disappointing result, United have an opportunity to bounce back quickly when they take on Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.
Erik ten Hag, manager of Manchester United, later spoke about how professional players are always battling hard for their future. In the pre-match press conference, ten Hag was asked whether some of the players are playing for their future in the remaining games. “Yeah but I think we are always playing for our futures, as professional players. Every game is a test, every season is a test and you have to earn the right to wear the shirt,” he was quoted as saying by their club’s website.
“But also for me as a manager. In that matter, we are in the same boat, but I think we make huge progress. We have the experience now but we have still a way to go. So we have to step up and the good thing is Sunday is the next opportunity. It is a great opportunity, it is the semi-final of the FA Cup. [There is not a] better event you can imagine, so take that and then after it, [there’s] still a lot of great games to go and we have to prove it and this group of players has to prove it.”
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It is not the first time Manchester United were humbled this season. They had suffered bad defeats at Liverpool, Newcastle United and Manchester City too. When asked about the reason behind the setbacks, ten Hag said, “First of all you have to acknowledge. It’s the truth, we have to do better and I know that. I have to teach the players that they [need to] do better in such circumstances and such occasions. We have to do better with such expectations because, as you said, the demands are on this team and because we are Manchester United, [they] are high and we have to deal with it, we have to improve it. I have to teach the players and the players have to step up.”
Harry Maguire was heavily criticised for his role in the first goal scored by Sevilla on Thursday. However, Erik ten Hag came to the defence of the English centre-back. “He has an important role in the fact he is captain. He leads, he communicates with the manager. He motivates the team. He is the example on the training pitch and always [has] good sessions,” he explained.
