Erik ten Hag suggests Jadon Sancho is not a “hungry” player – Man United News And Transfer News

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Erik ten Hag has implied that neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Jadon Sancho were hungry enough to play for Manchester United.

At the pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow’s match against Spurs, the manager was asked about releasing Ronaldo and Sancho and in that context, how important is it for a manager to be allowed to impose discipline in the dressing room.

“It is that if you want to perform, you need hungry players,” he replied.

“I already said we need personality and players who are hungry to fight for the badge, to fight for this club and to do it within the team.”

Asked if his own hunger had waned, he replied:

“No. I am managing a project here and I know you will get setbacks. Like the injuries we had, and I already said before, no team can handle so many injuries, it causes a drop-off in level. Also, we made some choices in the summer, choices for the future, but we know we always must perform at a short notice and as quick as possible.

“I know we don’t have time with the choices we made, but we signed some talent. [With] talent, you need time, like the developing you have seen from [Alejandro] Garnacho, from Kobbie Mainoo, and so for instance also Rasmus Hojlund. He needs time, but in the same moment, I know we don’t have time, but I know this could happen.

“You need time to get that progress in and for me, it is not difficult, I see it as generational that this is how the process could go. Sometimes you need some moments to step up and get that belief in. For instance, at Arsenal, we should win and also at Spurs we should go into the lead. We didn’t get to that point in the season and then from there you get some negativity, you get some injuries and then you come into a pattern where a lot is going against you. You have to deal with such setbacks but that belongs to the process.

“So if you ask me that question ‘Is it difficult for you?’ No, it is not difficult for me because I could respect from the start of this season when it happened, then the process can go negative. Then as a manager, you have to stay positive and get the process in the right direction. But in the meantime you have to be pragmatic, gather as many points as possible, then wait until the players are fit and in the meantime work on your team, work on the individuals, go to higher levels that you set conditions and [hope] that the team performs better and that they rise again.”

The manager was then asked whether he thinks using academy players for the rest of this season would be better in the ling run than bringing in loan players.

“So you always have to consider such choices, but they were two very good loans, very successful. [Marcel] Sabitzer and Wout Weghorst contributed a lot to our success last year,” he replied.

“When such opportunities are coming up we have to take them. At the same time you have to analyse what is already onboard and what is coming up. For instance, in the summer, I already counted with Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo – and I knew they would make mistakes – maybe we can’t bring them in every game.

“Kobbie Mainoo got injured in the second game of the season and you lose him for three to four months. Then it stops the process and now we have to work him back. Then also you have to accept he cannot play three games or 90 minutes in the Premier League in six days, or seven days, that is not possible. You have to manage that or manage that process because you don’t want him to get injured again.”

Tomorrow’s match kicks off at 4.30pm GMT at Old Trafford.