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Erik ten Hag's actions on pre-season tour after Louis van Gaal warning speaks volumes

Home> Football> Football News> Man Utd

Published 09:20 25 Jul 2023 GMT+1

Erik ten Hag's actions on pre-season tour after Louis van Gaal warning speaks volumes

Erik ten Hag has made a call on Manchester United's commercial activity on their pre-season tour of America.

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare

Over a year after Louis van Gaal warned him against joining a "commercial club", Erik ten Hag has made some big decisions when it comes to the commercial activity on Manchester United's pre-season tour of America.

Back in March last year, after reports emerged that Ten Hag had been interviewed as part of United's search for a new permanent manager, Van Gaal sent a warning to his fellow countryman.

"I think Ten Hag is a great coach; I said that multiple times," he said at a press conference.

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"A great coach is good for Man United. But Man United is a commercial club. Those are difficult choices for a coach. As a coach, you should prefer a football club."

Van Gaal, who won the FA Cup with United during his two-year spell at Old Trafford but was sacked immediately after the final, previously criticised United's pre-season tour during his first summer in charge.

He complained there was not enough focus on preparing players for the season and too much time was spent on making money.

The Dutchman said: "We have to prepare the season and when you have commercial activities and dreadful distances -- having to fly a lot and the jet lag -- it is not positive for a good preparation."

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A year later and Ten Hag has made some big decisions when it comes to commercial activity on their pre-season tour of America, where they will face Wrexham, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.

Last week, he decided to take teenage midfielder Kobbie Mainoo out of the media spotlight when he was booked to appear alongside a number of first-team players, including Raphael Varane, at an event run by Marriott Hotels.

The activity was organised by the club at a hotel in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, according to ESPN, but clearly Ten Hag thought the right call was to deflect some attention away from Mainoo after impressive performances against Leeds and Lyon.

In addition to Thursday's decision to take the Stockport-born midfielder out of his scheduled commercial duties, Ten Hag has decided to trim down their commercial activity from three days to two.

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Image credit: Getty
Image credit: Getty

Manchester Evening News report Ten Hag is 'fastidious' with the commercial department about such obligations. In fact, he will reject any notion of an activity if he sees no reason behind it.

Much has been made of United's busy pre-season schedule. In total, they will clock up 16,000 air miles ahead of the Premier League campaign.

Former Wales striker Dean Saunders believes the long flights will take their toll on the squad.

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"I've done 38 pre-seasons and when I see a bad one, I can see a bad one. And it's not just Man United, all of them," he said on talkSPORT.

"Don't complain to me, or don't come on the TV, at Christmas and start complaining about fixtures and player welfare.

"This pre-season Man United have got - Leeds in Oslo, Madrid in Houston, Lyon in Edinburgh, Borussia Dortmund in Las Vegas, Arsenal in New York, Lens at Old Trafford, Wrexham in San Diego and Bilbao in Dublin."

Image credit: Getty
Image credit: Getty

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He added: "How is that good for a player? You go to Spain, two hours and you're knackered, two hours on a plane.

"You try recovering from those games, that's just ridiculous. Don't be surprised if you get injuries with that schedule. They're all doing it."

Thoughts on United's pre-season plans?

Let us know in the comments.

Featured Image Credit: Manchester United/Getty

Topics: Manchester United, Erik Ten Hag, Premier League, Louis Van Gaal

Jack Kenmare
Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare is the Senior Journalist for SPORTbible, one of the world’s biggest social publishers. He specialises in long-form feature writing and has an encyclopedic knowledge of Football Manager wonderkids from 2005 to the present day. He has a BA (Hons) in Journalism and News Practice.

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@jackkenmare_

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