Erik ten Hag Tells Man Utd's Former Stars to 'Help More' Instead of Piling on Criticism
Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has hit back at the club's ex-players turned pundits, arguing that they could do more to support the team instead of relentlessly criticising it.
Ten Hag, who led United between May 2022 and October 2024 and won both the EFL Cup and FA Cup during his tenure, made the comments in an interview with The Athletic. He took charge of 128 games in all competitions, winning 70 of them with 23 draws and 35 defeats, leaving the club with a 54.7% win rate.
In the same interview, Ten Hag spoke about how he felt Cristiano Ronaldo "let the team down" following their public fallout, and how he believed the club broke promises to him regarding the transfer market.
'They do not always know what's going on'
The Dutchman stressed that he holds United's former greats in high regard, but suggested their commentary often lacks context about how the game has moved on.
"It's everywhere the same; they always want to protect their legacies," Ten Hag told The Athletic. "It's no different than Bayern Munich or Ajax; they do the same. But they are [part of United's] history, and they do not always know what's going on. Football evolves."
"For United, it's clear: they had great contributions; they achieved massive results, trophies for the club and for themselves, so I respect them."
The former United players who regularly pass comment on the club include Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney — all of whom were hugely successful during the Alex Ferguson era. Keane and Neville have both passed judgement this term, with the former labelling United a "circus" following Lisandro Martinez's outburst after the loss to Atletico Madrid, while the latter was heavily critical of their second-half performance against Fulham.
'There should be two ways that they support it'
While Ten Hag acknowledged that current players can be frustrated by punditry, he said he personally enjoyed a strong relationship with the club's former stars during his spell at Old Trafford.
"I have to say, I had a very good relationship with them all, with Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand," Ten Hag added. "I did nice interviews with them both, so it didn't hurt me. Of course, they have podcasts; they have their models. Sometimes it's difficult for players. Some of them get affected by it, get annoyed by it."
"They achieved massive successes. But also, they can help the club more, help the players more. There should be two ways that they support it. But I think always the thing you most love, you most criticise."
Ten Hag's remarks add to an already turbulent spell of scrutiny around United, who opened their Champions League campaign with a win over Sabah before losing to Atletico Madrid, intensifying pressure on the club. Ten Hag himself was previously dismissed by United in 2024 after winning the EFL Cup and FA Cup, and has since publicly urged the club to keep faith with its management rather than resorting to a change in the dugout.