‘You don’t know anything about football’ – Erik ten Hag sends a brutal message to Manchester United critics

Erik ten Hag has hit out at critics who want to sack him as Manchester United manager and said they know nothing about football, insisting fans have been patient with the job he does.

Ten Hag are under increasing pressure at Old Trafford after Monday’s 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace. It was their 13th defeat of the league season, a club record in the Premier League era, and they are eighth with just three games to go.

Ineos have yet to make their position clear on Ten Hag’s future, but after the nature of Monday’s dismal defeat, calls for him to leave at the end of the season grew stronger, although the away end remained supportive of their side until the end. at Selhurst Park.

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Ten Hag can also point to the patience shown to Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who finished eighth in his first two seasons at the club and saw the bottom of the Premier League after three games the following campaign, before -he finally saw the good project. .

The United boss will be hoping he is given similar patience by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and said critics who did not understand the need for patience and the constraints under which he worked this season lacked knowledge of the game or the job.

“I think the fans are patient, you saw that on Monday,” he said. “I see some comments that they don’t have, either they don’t have football knowledge, they don’t have knowledge about running a football team or they’re just not up to it. I think there are many people who see the problems and are patient.”

Despite seeing his position under threat after less than two seasons in charge, Ten Hag insisted he has no regrets about leaving Ajax and taking up the job in 2022.

He also insisted he has not changed as a man or a manager despite the challenges he has faced during his time at the club, particularly this season when a relentless injury crisis has forced him to constantly look for solutions in regarding team selection.

“I haven’t changed at all – I’m still the same. Of course there were different experiences and I really like the ones I had, I love the English football culture. I appreciate everything and I’m very happy to be here, but not I haven’t changed at all,” said Ten Hag.

“I did my job and in the first year I’d say it was a good line-up. We played at our levels, maybe we overperformed. In this one we didn’t and I know why, but we’re still in an FA Cup Final and that it is a great achievement.

“I haven’t changed, but of course the experiences and the challenges have changed. This is a huge club and you only realize when you first come in, the things you have to deal with.

“But I wanted to accept this challenge and I haven’t had a second when I regret that decision. I’m very happy to be here and I haven’t regretted for a second that I came.”