Erik Ten Hag Reveals Key Difference Between Modern Footballers, Past Footballers

The former manager of Manchester United, Erik ten Hag, has shared insights into the challenges modern football players face when it comes to coping with criticism, contrasting it with his own experiences from a different era.

Recall that Erik ten Hag, 56, was dismissed from his position in October, just three months after he had committed to a new two-year contract with the club. His time at Manchester United was marked by a series of conflicts and challenging situations with various players.

In an interview with SEG Stories, a media outlet linked to his management agency, Ten Hag expressed his observations, stating, “This generation typically finds it hard to handle criticism. It can deeply affect them.

“The generation I grew up in possessed much thicker skin. Back then, you could communicate in a much more straightforward manner.”

Ten Hag emphasized that if he were to adopt a direct approach with today’s players, it could potentially demoralize them. He noted, “If you speak to them like that, they might take offence instead of using it as motivation.”

During his tenure at Manchester United, which included winning both the FA Cup and the League Cup, the team’s performance waned dramatically, culminating in their worst finish in the Premier League with an eighth-place standing last season.

The period was rife with controversies, including the high-profile termination of Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract after the forward publicly expressed his lack of respect for Ten Hag in an interview with journalist Piers Morgan.

Further complications arose when Jadon Sancho was removed from the first team after he claimed that Ten Hag had turned him into a “scapegoat” due to criticism regarding his performance in training.

Additionally, Ten Hag took disciplinary action against Marcus Rashford after the forward missed training following an unauthorized trip to Belfast.