Erik ten Hag won't be meeting his Manchester United players until the final week of June but on his first day in the job he was already trying to get them on side.
Most of the United squad have jetted off for a holiday after the denouement of a desperate season but those that will be here next season would have had one eye on Old Trafford yesterday. In a press conference lasting a little less than 20 minutes, Ten Hag certainly said the right things to try and start rebuilding unity and spirit within his fractured squad.
United's players had become accustomed to watching press conferences from behind the sofa under Ralf Rangnick. The German become a fan favourite because of his unfiltered analysis in front of the cameras, but there was a feeling his critical comments were also hiding his own failings in the dugout and on the training pitches at Carrington.
READ MORE: What Ten Hag did on his first day as United manager
As Rangnick's reign turned from disappointing to disastrous his openness in front of the media began to create issues. Club officials weren't always keen on his long answers, which would occasionally lead him into troubled waters, and players weren't impressed with some of his comments.
In the embargoed section of his press conference before United played Arsenal on April 23, Rangnick said the squad required "open-heart surgery". Those comments were only made public at 10.30pm on Friday but by the time of United's Saturday lunchtime game at the Emirates Stadium the squad were aware of what had been said and unimpressed by the content.
They had no such reason to fear Ten Hag's first appearance in front of the camera. The 52-year-old clearly has no intention of using any more words than are absolutely necessary but the best of his short answers came when he was asked if he endorsed Rangnick's two-year consultancy role. "That is on the club," came the swift reply, a comment that would have gone down well with the United squad.
Rangnick inherited a squad that were low on confidence after a bruising run under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and by the end of the season belief had totally evaporated. Ten Hag will know rebuilding that is a priority.
There were certainly moments when he tried to put some distance between himself and Rangnick, which publicly might be a wise move before meeting the players at the end of June.
When he had the opportunity he also praised the players. There were questions about only two United players in the press conference, at different ends of the spectrum when it comes to the support they have from the fanbase, but Ten Hag was as effusive about Harry Maguire as he was Cristiano Ronaldo.
He left the door open for a change of captain in the summer but quickly sought to try and fill Maguire with confidence as well. "He did a great job, he is a great player, he already achieved a lot with his contribution to Manchester United. I’m looking forward to working with him," said Ten Hag.
In April Rangnick had suggested United might need as many as 10 new players this summer, a figure that went down badly inside Old Trafford and is completely unrealistic.
Ten Hag was asked about those comments but instead used the opportunity to praise the current squad, talking about how they had finished second a year ago and that he was confident he could get more out of them.
That will be music to the ears of a dressing room that hasn't had elite-level coaching for three-and-a-half years now. For all the criticism of United's underperforming players, that is a major issue that should not be overlooked.
Ten Hag and his backroom staff can provide that and the manager has already started the process of trying to build bridges with the dressing room.
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