I can’t babysit united players
Ten Hag: Stars must take responsibility
Erik TEN HAG has told his Manchester United stars he’s not a babysitter and warned them they must be responsible for their own actions.
Ten Hag issued his stark warning in the wake of Marcus Rashford’s boozy Belfast trip, which saw the striker dropped from United’s 4-2 FA Cup win at Newport on Sunday.
United said Rashford has “taken responsibility for his actions” with the striker understood to have been fined £700,000 – two weeks’ wages – following his latest misdemeanour. Ten Hag was asked if players need to be careful who they surround themselves with and whether he can help them in terms of making the right choices off the pitch.
Sir Alex Ferguson famously knew everything about the off-field antics of his players and was known to turn up in person to give them the hairdryer treatment if they stepped out of line.
But Ten Hag said modernday players must be savvy enough not to put themselves in situations like Rashford (right) did and warned his Old Trafford stars they should know the right way to behave.
“The players at this level need to manage themselves,” said Ten Hag, whose side go to Wolves tonight. “That is what you can demand from the player. The player has to know what is good and not good. When you want to play top football, it demands a certain way of life. Always.”
Asked if he needed to reinforce that message in the light of Rashford’s latest transgression, Ten
Hag said: “No, come on. We’re talking about top football players.
“I don’t have to educate them any more. When you’re playing for Manchester United you should know.
“Part of the job is to support your players but we have people in this club who are helping the players on that.
“As I said before, when you are a player at United you have to manage yourself. You have to take responsibility for your performance and your performance in the team, it is all about that. At United, it is all about winning football games. It’s not complicated.”
Ten Hag hopes Rashford can now rediscover the form that saw him plunder a career-best 30 goals last term. The striker has scored just four this term.
“You could see in the last two Premier League games – and it was clear in the Wigan game – the progress between Marcus and Rasmus Hojlund,” said Ten Hag. “Especially now we are getting stronger at the back.
“That is growing and it gives a good spirit and
mood in the team. We have a front line that is dangerous and a midfield that is getting more established.
“Luke Shaw on the left side is returning. So there’s much positivity and I’m sure that, when there’s more consistency and stability at the back, the front line will benefitt.”
Although United are down in ninth place in the Premier League, Ten Hag said he is confident they can get back into the race for a top-four spot with key players now back from injury.
“We are quite confident because on our best days we can beat anyone,” said Ten Hag. “But on our worst days we go down to levels that are not acceptable. We have to push our limits to higher levels so that even on our worst days we still get results.
“Then we know that, at our best, we can beat anyone, and everyone in the squad is very convinced about this. Also, they know that, with players coming back from injury, the team will be stronger.”
United are at home to West Ham on Sunday followed by a trip the following Sunday to Aston Villa.
They still have to travel to Manchester City and Chelsea before the end of the season and have still to play Liverpool and Arsenal at home.
They are 14-1 to finish in the top four this season.