Ten Hag gets tough: What rules has he imposed at Manchester United?

Posted Monday, July 04, 2022 by Marca.com

Whilst Manchester United appear to be making the same old mistakes in the transfer market, and their approach to it, there can be little doubt that wholesale change is coming on the coaching side of things with Erik ten Hag getting tough with his players.

The Dutch coach is desperate to avoid a repeat of issues which have hindered the club in recent years where a lack of bravery on the ball has stopped any form of forward-thinking football from being played.

Ten Hag has introduced a set of rules during his first week of training with the club, as he seeks to implement a style of football that will be as attacking as that promoted by Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson in bygone eras.

What are Ten Hag's rules?

The former Ajax coach will not tolerate sideways and backwards passing during training sessions, and any player who executes such moves during a session will be replaced.

Players must be fitter and display a much more team-centric body language after the disaster of the 2021/22 season.

Locker room cliques will no longer be permitted, with players being obliged to eat together after the end of a training session.

Young players will be given a clear and direct pathway into the senior team. No longer will reputation be enough to hold onto a space in the senior squad, if a youngster works hard and shows improvement in training, he will have a serious chance of senior minutes.

Match selection will be entirely based on training performances, with salaries and former achievements holding no weight for the new coach.

Change will take time at Old Trafford

Whilst the effect of these changes isn't yet visible due to the fact a single match hasn't been played, there are reports coming out of Carrington that the squad is exceedingly motivated by the change in approach introduced by Ten Hag and his staff.

A lot of further training sessions will be necessary for the Dutchman to get his squad ready for the new Premier League season, with a clear and cohesive style of play in tow.

Ten Hag knows the bulk of his work will be done during pre-season sessions with his squad, and has already taken on a far more hands-on role than Ralf Rangnick, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Jose Mourinho did previously.