Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has spoken in detail for the first time since his dismissal about the events that shaped his time at Old Trafford. In an extensive interview with The Athletic, the Dutch coach sharply criticised Cristiano Ronaldo, revealed details of transfer deals that never materialised, and accused the club's management of breaking its promises.
As reported by İdman.Biz, one of the most striking revelations concerned his conflict with the Portuguese superstar, who left Manchester United in November 2022.
“He let both the team and me down,” Ten Hag said, explaining that he had initially placed great hopes in Ronaldo and had even travelled to Portugal specifically to discuss his plans for the upcoming season.
According to the manager, problems arose over the player's attitude towards training and his physical fitness. Ten Hag claims that Ronaldo missed certain training sessions, failed to complete the required physical workloads, and did not show sufficient intensity on the pitch, both with and without the ball.
The Dutch coach also recalled an incident following United's humiliating 4-0 defeat to Brentford in August 2022. After that match, he ordered an additional running session for the players. However, according to Ten Hag, Ronaldo completed only two of the three scheduled laps.
The manager further claimed that the Portuguese forward advised his teammates to conserve their energy during training. Ten Hag stressed that he had always respected Ronaldo's achievements, but even world-class stars must work for the team and meet the standards set by the coaching staff.
The Athletic contacted Ronaldo's representative for comment but had received no response by the time the interview was published.
The interview also addressed the atmosphere inside Manchester United's dressing room. Ten Hag believes that some high-profile players had excessive influence over events at the club. He specifically mentioned former Real Madrid players Ronaldo, Casemiro and Raphael Varane, suggesting that their footballing philosophy did not always align with the approach the club's management wanted to implement.
The Dutch coach also admitted that he had pushed hard to sign several star players during his time in Manchester.
In 2023, his primary target for the striker position was Harry Kane, who eventually joined Bayern Munich from Tottenham. Ten Hag said he had strongly advocated the transfer, but the club ultimately decided against pursuing the deal.
He also wanted to bring in Declan Rice, who subsequently joined Arsenal, and Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong. Meetings were even held with De Jong, but attempts to persuade him to move to Manchester proved unsuccessful.
Ten Hag also voiced serious grievances against Manchester United's management.
According to the Dutchman, following the club's FA Cup triumph in 2024 and the decision to continue working together, the management promised him support, a more coordinated approach to decision-making, and closer cooperation. However, he claims those commitments were subsequently broken.
As an example, Ten Hag pointed to the sale of Scott McTominay to Napoli for €30.5 million. The former United manager said he had strongly opposed the midfielder's departure, considering him an important member of the squad who could contribute valuable goals.
Despite his disappointment over the circumstances surrounding his dismissal in October 2024, Ten Hag emphasised that he still has warm feelings towards Manchester United and its supporters. He also urged the club's management not to rush into making decisions about current head coach Michael Carrick.
The interview, published on October 20, is the first part of Ten Hag's extensive conversation with The Athletic journalist Laurie Whitwell.
The second part will be published tomorrow, October 21. In it, the Dutch coach will discuss the development of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, his initiative to assist Manchester United's analysis department, and why the encounter with Sevilla became a turning point in his tenure at the English club.
Erik ten Hag currently serves as technical director of Dutch club FC Twente.
