Ten Hag’s on tHe ball... anD He DemanDs you maKe meal of it

By simon mUllock

ERIK TEN HaG wants his players on the ball in pre-season – literally.

The new Manchester United boss has ordered staff at the club’s Carrington training ground to trim the grass to just 15mm so United’s stars can get used to his demands for slick passing when they return to duty tomorrow.

His first two days will be taken up with tests to measure fitness, before the real work moves up a gear with regular double sessions.

But Ten Hag (left) doesn’t

adhere to the old-fashioned belief that the best way to build fitness for the new campaign is to run the players ragged.

He will put United’s stars through their paces with passing drills and exercises with the ball.

“Ten Hag is all about training the brain,” said a source close to the Dutchman.

“United’s players will do plenty of running – but they will run with the ball rather than just being asked to sprint up sand dunes.”

Ten Hag’s favourite pre-season destination is the austrian alps, but his squad will be returning in stages after the international demands of the summer.

Marcus Rashford and Jadon sancho will be there straight off to meet the new boss.

and they will learn that Ten Hag insists on all of his players eating together after training.

sir alex Ferguson made a similar demand – and Ten Hag feels that socialising at meal times helps to build a team spirit.

In recent years, players have got used to eating in the staff restaurant when they felt like it, and either head into the gym or go home after training.

That led to splits in the camp that became apparent during the final days under Ole Gunnar solskjaer and throughout Ralf Rangnick’s temporary reign.