Ten Hag puts Bruno Fernandes in the opposite pole of CR7: “It’s emotional, but...”

O us portal The Athletic published, this Wednesday, the second part of an extensive interview with Erik ten Hag, in which, this time, the highlight goes to the torn praises woven to Bruno Fernandes, a portuguese international to which he entrusted the captain armband of Manchester United, during the passage by Old Trafford.

“ I think it was good for the team, the best solution, and it was good for him too. Obviously, he's got some pros and cons, but he's got a great sense of the game, he's a top-notch professional and he always does his best. You have a good lifestyle. Every day, you go to the limit. It is he who is in charge ", said.

“ Sometimes he gets emotional, but is a winner (...). I gave him some freedom in the game plan. I think I'm always very critical and reflective of myself. I have to say, I can't see a game where the players didn't want to transfer the plan to the lawn. They always tried, because I think they believed what we did,” he added.

Bruno Fernandes unlike..

Words that radically contrast with cristiano Ronaldo's evaluation on the eve: “He let the team down and let me down, because we had made plans with him. I traveled to Portugal to talk to him about what I wanted before coming to Manchester United. Obviously, he's one of the best in football history. I respect him a lot, but at that time, as a coach, I had to make a rational decision and keep in the players I admired.”.

“I confronted him with this. Many times, I told him ‘Ronnie, everyone wants to work to put you in the right position, but if you can’t get into the big area, you can’t score. He couldn't do this. It is a wrong idea to impute me that I wanted him to do the pressure, that he was exhausted...”, he shot.

“ He couldn't do it. He didn't run, neither in possession, nor without possession of a ball. The reason was he didn't prepare. All top teams have to commit to their best player, but the best player has to work for the team”, he added, before leaving a ‘harmful’ accusation to the Portuguese international.

“ He told the players ‘Save your legs in training’. I understand this when you're in your best shape. You have a session, you can spare your legs, but first you have to train to achieve the right physical levels (...). Players have to act, they have a great responsibility. Football is not, for some, the highest priority. And Manchester United, for some, was not the top priority,” he said.

“ I offered my knowledge and abilities to INEOS, but they were of the opinion that they already knew everything”

In this same interview, the Dutch coach lamented the lack of credit given to him by the Red Devils’ own direction: “A coach should receive all the information in the end. You need others in a club to gather all the information and get everything ready to make final decisions. Top organizations continually innovate and are actually in the lead of innovations.”.

“ I offered my knowledge and capabilities to INEOS to help them build, but they were of the opinion that they already knew everything. They were convinced, say, of philosophy, strategy and working methods, but they came from petrochemicals, from Formula 1, from cycling... Top football requires something totally different”, he concluded.