Erik ten Hag Criticizes Man United Fans and Pundits in Fiery FA Cup Final Interview

Erik ten Hag, Manchester United’s manager, has lashed out at the club’s fans for having ‘no sense of reality’ amidst an 11-year title drought. In a heated interview on the day of the FA Cup final against Manchester City, Ten Hag expressed his frustration with the high expectations.

Despite speculation about his departure from Old Trafford after two seasons, Ten Hag maintains that he is part of Man United’s new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team’s plans. However, the club’s performance under Ten Hag has been lackluster, with its worst-ever Premier League finish in eighth, and European football next term hinging on Saturday’s outcome.

Speaking to Dutch outlet VI, Ten Hag emphasized that the club’s aspirations are not in line with its current situation. He stated, ‘Manchester United won the league for the last time in 2013, 11 years ago. But still they expect us to win every game while competing at the top. This club is not ready for that.’

Ten Hag also criticized pundits for their negative perception of his role in Man United’s poor form, stating that ‘Manchester United is an easy prey’ for them. He accused pundits of attacking people to make themselves look better, stating, ‘All this negativity from these so-called experts who don’t have the capability to analyse something with facts, but who prefer to attack people to make themselves look better.’

At the root of the club’s issues have been an enormous amount of injuries, so severe that one defender – Tyrell Malacia – hadn’t even stepped on the training pitch. Despite this, Ten Hag is optimistic about the following season, with plans to reshape the squad during the upcoming transfer window.

For all of Ten Hag’s confident zeal, Man United are thought to be considering both Thomas Tuchel and Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna as serious candidates to take over at the club ahead next season.

In addition to his comments on Man United, Ten Hag also defended his former director of football at Ajax, Marc Overmars, who resigned in February 2022 after admitting to ‘unacceptable’ behavior. Ten Hag stated, ‘I stand firm that I find it a disgrace the way Marc Overmars has been treated.’