World
Ten Hag criticises Ronaldo and United; Carrick under pressure after Como loss
Erik ten Hag has accused Cristiano Ronaldo of letting Manchester United down, while manager Michael Carrick faces scrutiny following a 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como.
Erik ten Hag, now technical director of FC Twente, has spoken critically about his time at Manchester United in an interview with The Athletic. The Dutchman accused the club's leadership of breaking promises to him and said he felt embarrassed by the club. He also pointed to what he described as a toxic culture at Old Trafford during his tenure as manager.
Ten Hag's primary criticism centred on Cristiano Ronaldo's conduct during the Portuguese forward's return to Manchester United. According to Ten Hag, Ronaldo let the team down and also let him down personally. Ten Hag alleged that Ronaldo struggled to meet the club's fitness requirements, claiming the forward sometimes withdrew from training sessions and failed to achieve the required heart rate levels during fitness work.
Michael Carrick, Ronaldo's successor as Manchester United manager, rejected Ten Hag's claims about a toxic culture at the club. Carrick maintained that the club's board continues to support him, though he acknowledged he must start winning matches to retain his position.
.jpg){kind=link}
Manchester United's recent performance has intensified pressure on Carrick. The team suffered a 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como on Wednesday, a result described as a humiliation for the three-time European champions. The loss extended United's difficult run and came just 11 games into the season.
Captain Bruno Fernandes expressed unhappiness with Carrick's tactical approach in the Como match. Fernandes made pointed remarks about the decision from the staff, suggesting criticism of how the team was set up to play, according to reports from multiple outlets.
Carrick's future as manager is now uncertain. According to The Guardian, before Manchester United's upcoming home match against Bournemouth on Sunday, the manager's position may be discussed by Jason Wilcox, the director of football, Omar Berrada, the chief executive, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the co-owner who controls sporting policy. Carrick apologised to fans following the Como defeat.