Man City boss Guardiola previews Premier League derby at Man Utd
At Manchester United, new staff members have to sing in front of the rest of the group whenever they join. But Erik ten Hag, according to reports, didn’t take to the mic himself. While that’s the case, however, he still upheld the tradition by allowing others to belt out a tune instead.
Manchester United were a club in crisis prior to Ten Hag’s appointment, having endured a shambolic season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick last time out.
But the Dutchman has started to work his magic and, with 11 wins from their last 12 matches, the Red Devils are getting their mojo back.
Ten Hag was appointed back in the summer and wasted no time in laying down the law to his United players.
According to the Daily Mail, however, he didn’t take the mic in keeping with a tradition of new staff members singing to the rest of the group.
That’s not to say he didn’t show a ‘lighter side’ to his character, however.
Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag refused to take the mic ahead of Man City clash (Image: GETTY)
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Ryan Thompson, a new chef, was happy to sing and players loved his rendition of Unchained Melody.
Ten Hag is, from the outside, a disciplinarian. But it appears he’s more than just an authoritarian, with players responding positively to his appointment.
There have been challenges, of course.
Ten Hag was criticised as United lost their opening two Premier League matches to Brentford and Brighton, shipping six goals along the way.
Yet he earned the respect of his players by joining them on a punishment run following the 4-0 defeat to Brentford at the end of August.
Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag has been working wonders ahead of Man City clash (Image: GETTY)
"Since the club signed the manager they have put a direction to the club that this is the rules we want to follow: this is the direction, this is how it will be for the next couple of years hopefully and he's been really good for us,” he said.
“The discipline the manager brought to the club, to everyone, has changed the mentality of the entire club, not even only the players.
"It is good for everyone to understand that you can’t go over the line, you have to follow the rules of the team, you have to follow the rules of the manager.
"Obviously for us at that moment Marcus was already in good form.
“When everyone noticed that the manager was changing his first eleven because Marcus was late, at the same moment everyone felt like ‘we have to be here on time, that is the responsibility that we have'. We have to do what the manager wants and that is not what the manager wants.
"That is the rule: being on time for training, for meetings for whatever it is, we have to be always on time.
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Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag has won Bruno Fernandes round ahead of Man City clash (Image: GETTY)
“That is a good thing because for the ones that don’t play they feel like ‘okay, if the ones who are playing are not doing the best they can they will be pulled out the team'.
"That shows the manager gives the same respect to the ones who are playing, to those who are more important, less important, scoring more goals, fewer goals, saving goals.
“That is a mark the manager made already in the past with other players but was not in the news. It is a good sign of passing responsibility to the player.
"Obviously, Marcus did really well because he knew he was wrong. It is obviously difficult to accept sometimes, but he accepted it, came on and decided the game for us.
“That is what this team is about now, it is about responsibility and being there for everyone."