[News Figures] Manchester United Manager Eric Ten Hag on the 0-7 Disaster

Former Dutch Player... Won Title as Ajax Manager
Emphasized 'Strict Discipline' and 'Hellish Training' at Man Utd
Bold Move to Release Ronaldo... Message Prioritizing 'Team'
Leadership Questioned After Liverpool Disaster

"I was surprised because my team has never suffered such a defeat. This is not Manchester United. It was very poor."

Eric ten Hag (53, Netherlands), manager of Manchester United (Man Utd), made this statement in an interview after suffering a 0-7 heavy defeat against Liverpool in the 26th round away match of the 2022-23 English Premier League (EPL) season held at Anfield, Liverpool, UK, on the 6th (Korean time).

Man Utd conceded the first goal to Cody Gakpo (24, Netherlands) in the 43rd minute of the first half and then allowed six consecutive goals in the second half, being overwhelmed by their archrival Liverpool. British media even described the match as a disaster. It is said to be the heaviest defeat in nearly 100 years. Who is Eric ten Hag, the manager leading Man Utd?

Recognized for Coaching Ability, Took Charge of Man Utd from 2022 Season

He played as a professional footballer in the Dutch league Eredivisie for over 20 years. From 1989 until his retirement in 2002, he played for 13 years at clubs including FC Twente, Utrecht, and De Graafschap. In the 1990-1991 season, he experienced winning the Eerste Divisie (the second-tier football league in the Netherlands) with De Graafschap.

After moving between several clubs, ten Hag was evaluated to have shown even greater ability as a coach than as a player. He began his managerial career in 2012 as the head coach of Go Ahead Eagles, leading the team to promotion to the Dutch first division in one season. Then, in 2013, he took charge of Bayern Munich II, gaining experience at a big club. In 2015, he moved to FC Utrecht, finishing 5th in the league in his first season and reaching the final of the Baker Cup. From 2017, he managed Ajax, leading them to Eredivisie (first division) titles in the 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons.

Having proven his leadership at multiple teams, ten Hag was appointed as the manager of Man Utd ahead of the 2022-2023 season, finally stepping onto the EPL managerial stage. However, the start was not smooth. In August last year, Man Utd lost 1-2 to Brighton in the EPL opening match and then suffered a heavy 0-4 defeat away to Brentford in the second round. Eventually, Man Utd fell to the bottom of the league for the first time in 30 years.

After much deliberation, ten Hag changed his entire tactical approach. Until the season opener, he pursued so-called possession football with short passes, but then shifted to a fast transition tactic focusing on counterattacks.

He also focused on stabilizing the team. During the preseason, ten Hag excluded Cristiano Ronaldo, who showed unruly behavior such as skipping team training, from matches and eventually released him in November last year. Afterwards, Man Utd miraculously lifted the 2022-23 Carabao Cup (EFL Cup) trophy by defeating Newcastle 2-0 in the final in February. This was their first trophy in six years since winning the UEFA Europa League (UEL) in 2017.

Eric ten Hag, Manchester United Manager. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

Group Meals, Hellish Training... Concerns Over Strict 'Discipline Football'

After winning the trophy, ten Hag also shared his thoughts on Ronaldo, whom he released. "No matter how great a player is, if they do not follow the organization's discipline, they cannot step onto the pitch. If rules are not taken seriously, everything falls apart," he openly criticized Ronaldo.

This stance of ten Hag is related to the kind of discipline football he pursues. Upon taking charge of Man Utd, ten Hag established strict rules such as dress codes and banning smartphone use. He also revived 'group meals' to strengthen team cohesion. Group meals were a rule during former manager Alex Ferguson's era. He set strict punishments for violations. In fact, in January, Man Utd benched Marcus Rashford, who had shown remarkable scoring form until the previous match, in a league match against Wolverhampton Wanderers, explaining it was an internal disciplinary action due to his tardiness.

Additionally, ten Hag has ordered hellish training sessions. In hot weather exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, players are required to run more than 13.8 km per match. British media such as The Mirror reported, "Ten Hag is a perfectionist who trains players one-on-one and controls every aspect of them. Nothing happens without ten Hag's involvement." They added, "Ten Hag believes that interaction among players during meal times greatly benefits team spirit. In recent years, players used to eat individually or go home whenever they wanted."

Ultimately, although strict management and hellish training led to lifting the trophy, concerns have arisen that it might have backfired after the heavy defeat to Liverpool. According to the Daily Mail, Man Utd players ran a total of 99.01 km in the 0-7 loss to Liverpool. This was the shortest distance since the 0-4 defeat to Brentford in the second round last August, raising questions about ten Hag's leadership. Given the situation, some players are calling for team unity. Forward Marcus Rashford said on his Twitter, "We need to trust the process and come together."