ไทย
English
中國人
Former Manchester United midfielder Fred has labeled ex-manager Erik ten Hag as "tactically one of the best" he has ever worked under, despite describing the Dutchman as "a piece of c---" when it came to his personal conduct.
Ten Hag joined United in the summer of 2022 carrying an enormous reputation, having built an exciting young Ajax side that made a significant impact in the Champions League, yet he lasted only two years at Old Trafford before being dismissed.
Fred, who was part of the United squad during Ten Hag's first season in charge, acknowledged the Dutchman's tactical credentials while not shying away from the man-management shortcomings that ultimately defined his troubled tenure at the club.
"There are coaches who are tactically excellent but terrible with the squad," Fred told the Charla Podcast. "Then there are coaches who are great with the group but tactically c---.
"Take [Ole Gunnar] Solskjær, for instance — he was brilliant with the group, but tactically ... well, he had [Michael] Carrick and [Kieran] McKenna as assistants. Both went into the Championship, two former players who managed to earn promotion with their clubs. They contributed enormously, but [Solskjær] was more focused on bringing the group together.
"Then I worked under Ten Hag. Tactically, Ten Hag was a very sharp guy. Highly intelligent. But with the group, he was a piece of c---. He just couldn't handle it — he was constantly clashing with everyone.
"He clashed with Cristiano [Ronaldo], he clashed with Casemiro, then with me, with [Marcus] Rashford ... it was rough. The guy completely lost the dressing room.
"He wouldn't pick me! It got stressful at times. Only his Dutch players were getting game time. A coach who played favorites. But tactically, he was one of the best I've ever worked with. The team on the pitch was really strong."
The 'Chaos' Created by Ronaldo Feud
Ten Hag arrived at United a year after Cristiano Ronaldo had made his return to Old Trafford, but the Dutch manager refused to accommodate the legendary striker.
He handed Ronaldo just four Premier League starts in the opening half of the 2022–23 season, with the two famously butting heads over Ronaldo's limited defensive contributions. The tension culminated in a sensational interview with Piers Morgan that led to the Portuguese star's stunning exit in January 2023.
"He wasn't playing Cristiano," Fred recalled. "Cristiano was performing well, finding the net, then [Ten Hag] came in wanting the team to press hard. Cristiano is older — we had to cover ground for him. That's understandable, but Ten Hag wasn't having it, so he dropped Cristiano to the bench. There was some real drama.
"Then during one match, everyone was asking whether Cristiano was on his way out. There was nothing we could do. Then we returned from the game, and the moment the plane touched down and the media staff switched their phones off airplane mode ... that's when the interview dropped — the one where he really tore into the club.
"The press guys were like, 'for God's sake!' It was absolute chaos. People pacing up and down the plane. Unbelievable. Pure madness.
"He said things that should never have been said. It was such a disaster that week. And then he was gone."