Erik ten Hag has been told that changing the mood around Manchester United will be a 'massive challenge' by fellow Dutchman Raimond van der Gouw.
Ten Hag has been drafted in as the new manager off the back of United's worst-ever Premier League campaign, in which they finished on a lowly points total of 58 and a goal difference of zero. Now, the Dutchman has the unenviable task of turning the club's fortunes around.
United particularly fell apart towards the end of the campaign under interim boss Ralf Rangnick, losing five of their last eight matches. Ten Hag was in attendance for the final match of the season, a poor 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, and Van der Gouw believes the manner of the loss shows something isn't right at Old Trafford. Something that Ten Hag has a difficult job in fixing.
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“What can we expect at the club next season? That’s a very easy question that’s very hard to answer,” he said. "I don’t know what went on last season but my first hope is that there will be a team on the pitch.
“Not just 11 players. We need to see a team that wants to work for each other and wants to work hard. They also need to show energy and enjoyment. I cannot imagine that the players who play for Manchester United don’t want to be there. There must be something going on, there’s always a reason why something like this happens.
“There doesn’t seem to be a connection with this group of players, there’s clearly something wrong. You don’t get a result like we saw on the last day of the season if everything is going well and everyone is happy.
“It’s a massive challenge for the new man. It’s not that he can’t do it, but you have other clubs who are in a much better position that Manchester United.
“You have Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal suddenly look like they’re capable of challenging again, Chelsea have new owners, Spurs, Newcastle are coming up with big money. It will be a very hard job for Erik but it’s a nice challenge, a good challenge.”
"Everyone loves a manager who brings a winning team on the pitch,” says van der Gouw. “I think Erik will do a good job. He’ll try and change it around and I think you’ll see a different Manchester United next season."
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