Manchester United's troubles following Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement over a decade ago are well-documented.
The Red Devils have not won the English Premier League since 2013, and with the team currently languishing in the bottom half of the table, it seems unlikely that this will change anytime soon.
Erik ten Hag is one of the several managers who have tried, and ultimately failed, to see a consistent up lift in form and bring United back to their previous glory days.
Ten Hag believes today’s footballers find it difficult to handle criticism, whereas players from his generation were more resilient.
The 55-year-old was dismissed by Manchester United last October, despite having signed a new two-year contract just three months earlier.
During his time at Old Trafford, he faced various challenges and disagreements with high-profile players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, and Marcus Rashford.
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“This generation usually find it difficult to deal with criticism. Criticism really gets to them,” the Dutchman told SEG Stories.
“The generation that I grew up in had much thicker skin. You could be much more direct with that generation. I was approached much more directly. If I would do that with my current group of players, I would demotivate them.
“With this generation, you choose different words and a different approach. (Sir Alex) Ferguson also belonged to the previous generation. With that generation, you could be much more direct in your communication and approach.
“With this generation, you have to convey your message in a more tactful way to get the same effect. You have to show the player more love. Our generation found that much more difficult to do than this generation.”
