Erik ten Hag a 'piece of crap' at Man Utd, says former star

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FT Desk

Former Manchester United midfielder Fred has launched a savage attack on Erik ten Hag and his man-management skills.

The Dutchman's time at Old Trafford was a bit of a mixed bag. He arrived in 2022 and made a positive start, leading United to third in the Premier League in his first season and winning the League Cup. They also reached the FA Cup final, although they were beaten by rivals Manchester City.

His second season was much more difficult, with United finishing eighth in the Premier League, their lowest finish in the competition at that time. There were plenty of injuries and inconsistent performances, but Ten Hag still managed to finish the season with another trophy after United beat Manchester City 2–1 in the FA Cup final.

However, the poor start to the 2024/25 season increased the pressure on him, and United eventually sacked him in October of 2024. Overall, he won two trophies during his time at the club, but increasingly poor league results ultimately cost him his job, while he also had a high-profile spat with Cristiano Ronaldo, which ultimately led CR7 to leave for Saudi Arabia.

"Ten Hag was tactically very good, but with the group he was a piece of crap," Fred said on the 'Charla Podcast.'

"He argued with everyone. He argued with me, with Cristiano [Ronaldo], with Casemiro, with [Marcus] Rashford ... He wouldn't put me in to play, sometimes it got stressful.

"[With Ten Hag] Only his Dutch players played. A clique-ridden coach. But, tactically, one of the best I've ever worked with.

"He wanted the team to run, but Cristiano [was already] older. He took Cristiano out [of the starting lineup], and then there was a falling out."

In a 2022 interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo said he did not respect Ten Hag, explaining that he felt the manager had not shown him respect in return.

Fred also gave an insight into all his managers at United including Ten Hag, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho.

"Solskjaer was good with the group, but he was helped [in training] by the assistants. He united the group," Fred added.

"Mourinho's a great bloke, he is funny. I've just been with him at Fenerbahçe; he brought me to United.

"Before [Carlo] Ancelotti came along, his name was being mentioned for the national team [Brazil].

"So I'd show him the rumours and he'd say: 'F--- off, mate. I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to manage my club here.' A really decent bloke."

Fred left Man Utd for Fenerbahce in 2023 and its now back in his native Brazil with Atletico Mineiro.