AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – New Manchester United supervisor Erik ten Hag stated reviving the fortunes of the Premier League membership will likely be a major problem, the Dutchman stated in his first feedback about his new job some 24 hours after steering Ajax Amsterdam to a third successive Eredivisie title.
The 52-year-old Ten Hag is leaving Ajax for Old Trafford, the place he’ll supply contemporary perspective to a membership who’ve been stumbling aimlessly by the previous few weeks of the season.
“It feels like a challenge to put the club back on track of winning. The options are there, including financially,” he stated in an interview with Voetbal International journal on Thursday.
“I’ve also got a good feeling about the people who are there, and that we can take a step in the direction.”
Ten Hag had beforehand refused to reply questions on United, however defined within the interview the recruitment course of and what awaits him.
“I do know United went by a very exact process. They’d carried out scouting, analyses, knowledge, interviews with individuals who labored with me. Then we held a number of interviews.
“They did not rush into issues and neither did I. It felt like a troublesome, however incredible problem. At United, there’s one thing to construct and one thing to win. Manchester United is such a large title within the historical past of soccer.
“It’s not for nothing they name Old Trafford the Theatre of Dreams. It’s a membership with an attract in worldwide soccer. Everyone is aware of their historical past. The historical past is spectacular however I’ve additionally researched the current and future and the probabilities,” he stated.
Ten Hag insisted he by no means let his impeding transfer to Old Trafford impression on his work in his remaining weeks at Ajax Amsterdam regardless of the swirl of curiosity and publicity across the appointment.
“Much had already leaked out and the questions kept coming. We made it public when everything was settled. In the first weeks (of negotiations), when the outside world got wind of it, there was really no agreement yet, while many assumed that the deal had been completed,” he stated in regards to the preliminary hypothesis round shifting to Manchester.
At that point, Ajax have been battling with rivals PSV Eindhoven for the league title. “But I used to be capable of separate the pursuits of Manchester United and my work at Ajax.
“Ajax was never let down, not until the last day. She got all the attention the club needed. I always had matters well prepared and was completely focused on Ajax.”
He finishes at Ajax on Sunday with a remaining sport at Vitesse Arnhem.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
