Erik ten Hag has barely been in the Manchester United job for two weeks, however has already started to make big changes to the way of life at Carrington by introducing five new rules for the players to adhere to.
That is according to David McDonnell of the Mirror, who has detailed how the Dutch manager is micromanaging how life plays out within both the squad and the larger footballing side of the club, as well as how players voice complaints and feelings about life at the club.
Erik ten Hag is famed for the way he can galvanise a squad to work in unity towards a goal, with the greatest example of this being the way he managed to rebuild his incredible Ajax team that was slightly decimated in 2019 after the losses of Donny van de Beek, Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong among others.
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Ten Hag managed to keep up morale and recreate a brilliant winning environment despite the losses of some of the side’s key players from their brilliant 2018/19 season to maintain winning momentum and a sense of unity within the side, and won three Eredivisie titles in a row with Ajax.
And now he looks to instil a similar unified dressing room at his new club in Manchester United by introducing five key rules that both establish a new way of life as well as a proper train of authority.
Players will be dropped if late for training or team meetings
One thing that has bugged many United fans over the past few seasons is how much power some players seem to have over either the club’s hierarchy or manager.
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With Erik ten Hag introducing a strict policy that states players will be dropped from the XI or squad should they be late to training or team meetings regardless of how prominent or high profile you are, he is demonstrating to the players that he is in charge of the team, not anyone else.
This zero-tolerance stance will come as refreshing news to many Manchester United fans who believe that the squad need a manager who can put them in their place and remind them that sometimes sacrifices are needed to be made for the greater good of the team.
A huge problem that’s occurred for almost a decade since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club is the incredible number of leaks that have come out of the club.
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From stories about players hating each other to line-ups coming out hours before kick off, it has become an incredibly tough issue that so far has no resolution… until now.
Erik ten Hag has reportedly told the squad that anyone who leaks any information from the dressing room will be ‘exiled’ from the club – no matter who it is.
This will help Ten Hag sort those who actually believe in his project from those who don’t.
Alcohol to be banned during game weeks
Alcohol is always a tricky subject when it comes to elite sport.
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In British culture, it is often seen as something used to enhance celebration, such as the bottles of champagne handed out after a team wins the Premier League or a driver wins an F1 race.
However, the health repercussions of alcohol consumption, both physical and mental, are becoming ever more well documented, and the effects it can have on an athlete who needs to stay in top physical condition are becoming more evident.
Alcohol, especially beer, has deep rooted traditions within British football, with many famed top level footballers such as Paul Merson admitting later in life that during their playing days they were alcoholics and often drank after training.
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However, Erik ten Hag’s new rule abolishes all of this, and although it is likely that many players do not drink alcohol during the season anyway, a blanket ban on all alcohol ahead of a match helps ensure they are in peak condition when playing the beautiful game.
All players must eat what is prepared by club chefs
The majority of players these days have private chefs to cater their meals. This can be for a number of reasons, such as having someone else to help watch their caloric intake or simply because they do not have time to cook for themselves in between training and other family/commercial commitments.
However, the issue this can create for clubs is if a player has a private chef, it is much harder for the coaching staff to track what a player is eating.
To solve this problem, Ten Hag has introduced a new rule that requires all players to eat from the club chefs, as he wants the same chefs preparing every meal for them. The players cannot have personal chefs, and the Dutchman has also decided to adjust the menu at Carrington, with vegetables and fish becoming much more frequent.
Body Mass Index (BMI) to be checked every month
Another way of keeping tabs on players fitness and general shape, Erik ten Hag wants the club to keep on top of the players’ BMI’s.
BMI is a measurement calculated as your weight in kilograms divided by the square of your height in metres. There is a ‘range’ of healthy numbers that your BMI should be in.
Keeping on top of this will allow Erik ten Hag and his staff to adjust players' training or meals accordingly and keep a much better view of what each player’s needs are.
Players to address complaints directly to him rather than their agents
Stories about player complaints coming from agents has become a common theme at the club. Players have seemingly started to confide their issues with the club or management with their agents and team instead of with the club themselves, which creates a toxic atmosphere.
By telling players that they should always talk to him directly about any problems or issues they are having, Erik ten Hag will be attempting to create a much stronger bond with his players, and cut out the problem of a media circus occurring every time a player takes issue with whatever is happening at the club.
This move also allows Ten Hag to work out which players trust him to be reasonable and those who don’t, as those who leak problems to agents often have an ulterior agenda through wanting their frustrations to become public, often to make said other party look bad or unreasonable in the public eye.
With these five changes, Erik ten Hag is creating a proper sense of both unity and authority within his squad – something which has been missing during one of the club’s worst ever decades.
Topics: Manchester United, Erik Ten Hag, Football
Dylan Penketh