Sir Alex Ferguson's dinner with Erik ten Hag means that the Dutchman has already benefitted from something the Scot did not give to Ralf Rangnick.
Legendary Manchester United boss Ferguson met with Ten Hag on Tuesday, while Liverpool were losing to Real Madrid. Ten Hag has impressed since becoming manager at Old Trafford, leading the club to the Carabao Cup final and having them well-placed in the top four race.
The Dutchman's immediate predecessor had been Rangnick, though the German failed to impress as interim boss. Rangnick had admitted upon his arrival in November 2021 that he was keen to meet with Ferguson.
“He (Ferguson) only came back from New York on Thursday and has to stay at home because of quarantine and Covid regulations. But I am very much looking forward to meeting him over the next two or three weeks," Rangnick said soon after his appointment.
“Darren Fletcher told me he wants to arrange a mutual lunch or dinner with him. The important thing is to celebrate this DNA the club still has, but implement it into the transformation to modern football.
“You have to be aware of what kind of players you have and where they stand. I cannot ask things of them that they can’t deliver right now. I have to take them and accept where they currently are."
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While Ferguson is not known to have satisfied Rangnick's request for a meeting, Ten Hag was delighted to be able to tap into his knowledge. His meeting with the legendary boss came as he prepared United to face Barcelona in the Europa League knockouts and then Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final.
“It’s massive. I always enjoy it, to speak with people who have a lot of knowledge, a lot of experience. He wants to share it, he wants to help, he wants to support," the current United boss said.
“You feel Manchester United is his club, he feels so committed. He wants [to see] that we are doing well. It was a great night and I look forward to the next night with him. We all want to play big games, big matches.
"When we were young, we dreamed of it, we are now in a position, it's still February, but big games are coming up and we are really enjoying it, looking forward to it and excited. We have to give our best because we want to match with the best.
"The first focus point is always the next game and in that league, we can't win a trophy this week. We have to go from game to game as the focus, but especially, you have to keep in the same mindset that every day we want to give a better version of ourselves."
