Erik ten Hag says he was never distracted from his ‘mission’ of bringing success back to Manchester United despite constant questions on his future.
United had their worst season in Premier League history last campaign under ten Hag, with question marks over the Dutchman’s future after Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS came into the club.
After defeating Manchester City in the FA Cup Final and a season review, ten Hag remained in the dugout for the Red Devils, with the 54-year-old recently being rewarded with a new contract.
This summer United have invested heavily once again, with Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee and Lille’s young defender Yerry Loro coming for sizeable fees but with high potential.
Ten Hag has called for patience despite recent struggles, with United picking up two trophies in his two seasons in charge:
“I came here two years ago and this group of players hadn’t won any trophy for six years,” ten Hag said. “I said we are also on a mission and we are here to win and be building and that we knew before us that it will not come overnight.
“We have to work very hard and we will have to deal with setbacks during that time. The first season I think was very successful, with two finals. We won one, we lost one – we should have won that one – and we were third in the league.
“And we came far in Europe, we played over 60 matches. Then last season, there were a lot of setbacks, that was clear.
“But by the end we got rewarded, because we kept believing and we won an amazing trophy and so we have a foundation.
“We have some new coaches which gives us, not a better dynamic, but a different dynamic, innovations, new ideas, a new dynamic, new energy, and I think then we can make progress to get to the next level.”
