Changing tactics is easy... changing the mindset of his players will be the toughest first job at Old Trafford

BY Chief Sports Writer

CONSIDERING he has been in the sporting news practically every day for a long, long time, you would have hoped there is not a single Manchester United player who has had to google Erik ten Hag, as some of them did when Ralf Rangnick got the gig. But do not bank on it. Do not be surprised if more than one or two are so self-absorbed they would have been indifferent to whoever took over.

Do not be surprised if more than one or two think that having a big, fat contract with Manchester

United means you have made it, and that coaches can come and go without it impacting on your good self.

Some people are being fooled into thinking Ten Hag, if he is to restore a semblance of former glory to Old Trafford, has got a massive job on his hands.

He has not… it is MUCH bigger than that.

Changing matchday tactics is easy, changing mindsets is not.

The idea that any new manager can just walk in and boot out the entire nest of bad eggs is fanciful.

He can try and boot out the worst of them, possibly, but he is going to have to work with the

majority of the squad that is underperforming so badly. And that means the change has to come not just from Ten Hag but from within.

It is time for senior players to stand up and be counted, to not tolerate the slip in standards, physically and technically, on both the training and playing pitches.

For example, it is time for Bruno Fernandes to look at Kevin De Bruyne and see how the Belgian demands continuous improvement from himself AND his teammates.

It is time for Harry Maguire (during the 4-0 defeat to Liverpool, top) to slavishly follow the tireless captaincy example of someone such as Jordan Henderson (above), for whom gold standards of conduct on and off the pitch are paramount.

Ten Hag might well turn out to be an inspired appointment, time will tell and, hopefully, he will be given time.

And he will only succeed if these United players start taking responsibility for their own personal shortcomings.

Because while he is an intriguing choice and a coach of considerable promise, he is no miracleworker.