Erik’s tough love is what we need
Ronaldo warned as Lindelof backs boss’s hardline approach
AS David Moyes returns to Old Trafford today, straight-talking Dutchman Erik ten Hag — the sixth manager tasked with succeeding Alex Ferguson — appears to be getting the balance right between tough love and gaining respect from his players.
Moyes also had the reputation of being tough when he was chosen to replace Fergie in 2013 but was unable to bring the big hitters with him.
Rio Ferdinand accused him of changing the culture at the club and Ryan Giggs pointedly left him out of the list of managers he thanked in his retirement statement. The young player bequeathed by Ferguson to breath new life into United, Wilfried Zaha, made just one start — in the Community Shield — under Moyes, who has since regained his reputation at West Ham.
After Moyes, Jose Mourinho was perceived as too critical, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer too friendly.
Ten Hag is finding the middle way with United, unbeaten in seven games since shipping six goals at Manchester City.
Cristiano Ronaldo was dropped from the squad at Chelsea as a punishment for refusing to come on as a late substitute against Tottenham, while Ten Hag has warned record £85million signing Antony about showboating. Club captain Harry Maguire was among those dropped after United were beaten 4-0 at Brentford in their second league game this season.
But what Ten Hag has done is offer a way back. Ronaldo was restored to the line-up in midweek for the Europa League win against FC Sheriff and scored. But even the world’s most famous player is in no doubt about who is Boss in the dressing room.
Defender Victor Lindelof, set for a key role with Raphael Varane injured, acknowledges: ‘The standards should always be high and if the manager wants us to do something different, he’ll tell us.
‘I think that’s great. It is the way it should be. That is what we need. At a club like this you have to be performing and if you don’t do that we all know that another one is ready to come in and try to help the team. He’s been very important for us. The first games of the season weren’t the best for us, but since then we’ve been performing well and winning some big games.
‘Now it is all down to us to keep improving, keep listening to the coaches and following the way they want us to play. Because the manager’s standards are high, training is very good. The manager has told us to believe in ourselves, to stay on the ball, play good football at a high tempo and to run a lot. Confidence is going up because of results and we have to keep going.’
Despite missing out on Frenkie de Jong in the summer, United’s midfield is developing a nice balance since the £70m arrival of multiple Champions League winner Casemiro from Real Madrid.
Having lost their first two games, United have since been beaten only by City in the Premier League this term. A return to the Champions League via a top-four finish is no longer a pipe-dream with Casemiro bringing a winning mentality to the dressing room.
‘He is a fantastic player and a great person too,’ added Lindelof. ‘Obviously he has lots of qualities — his mentality, the way he wants to play football, the way he’s always fighting and how he’s always helping his team-mates. I think that’s very important.
‘Since he has arrived here he has been working really hard on his role. He wins the ball, he can keep the ball, produce good passes and it’s very nice to have him in front of the defensive line because he’s such a clever player.
‘And he knows how to read the game well. His mentality and the way he wants to not only win games but how he trains, is important. ‘Every day he comes in he does everything 100 per cent. The standards at training reflect how everyone is wanting to improve and to keep standards and tempo high — and, of course, Casemiro is one who wants to keep that going. He’s a role model in that way.’
The comparison with Ronaldo is obvious, even if Lindelof did not mean it like that.
The Portuguese superstar was in danger of alienating United fans and his team-mates for his sulky demeanour this season and even back home, where he is revered, there have been discussions about whether the 37-year-old deserves to be a World Cup starter in Qatar.
Ronaldo’s goal in midweek should do him a power of good and he accepts he has got to be on his best behaviour between now and the World Cup even if a January move is possible.
Nuno Luz, one of Portugal’s premier broadcasters who knows Ronaldo well from doing a fly-onthe-wall documentary about his life, thinks he will line up against Ghana in their opening World Cup game, possibly alongside Bernardo Silva and AC Milan’s Rafa Leao in a front three given that Diogo Jota and Pedro Neto are injured and Joao Felix out of form.
‘I think Ronaldo starts in the World Cup,’ said Luz. ‘I don’t know if he starts every game or plays 90 minutes but I think he will be in for the first game.’