Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag came out swinging in his press conference ahead of the Sheffield United match.
After needing a penalty shootout to beat Coventry City at the weekend, the press conference was more confrontational than congratulatory.
This was reflective of the muted celebrations from fans and most of the players, left dissatisfied by the team’s inability to hold onto a three goal lead.
Erik ten Hag was proud of the achievements all the same, and made this very clear when quizzed by the media.
Erik ten Hag press conference response
Erik ten Hag was asked if he was ’embarrassed’ with the way Manchester United reached the FA Cup final.
He pointed out he had reached three cup finals in two seasons, and four in his last three, taking into account the Dutch Cup with Ajax.
Ten Hag blasted: “Absolutely not. Someone asked the question after the game, ‘is it embarrassing?’ No, the reaction from you [the media] was embarrassing. Top football is about results.
“We made it to a final. To reach the final twice, in two years, is magnificent. For me, as a manager – four cup finals in four years. The comments are a disgrace.”
This is the kind of fire Manchester United’s players will want to hear two days on, with the team preparing for the game with Sheffield United.
Ten Hag has won one of the three finals he has been to, losing the Dutch Cup to PSV, FA Cup to City, and winning the League Cup against Newcastle. Reaching them is an achievement, but he will feel he needs to go a step further and win this year’s FA Cup against City. As he says, results matter.
Simon Jordan sticks up for Erik ten Hag
While the media are sticking the boot into Erik ten Hag, one pundit has been sticking up for him, arguing that he was in a ‘no win position’ in his press conference.
Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan told Talksport that Ten Hag was in a difficult position: “It’s a minefield for him.
“This is not his first language. So the language is loaded in such a way that if he were to say, ‘Well, I’m a little bit embarrassed’. He’s done. That he said ‘he’s embarrassed by his players. He’s embarrassed by his football club. He’s embarrassed by everything.’ So it’s kind of unkind language to use because it’s weaponised.
“So he has to be equally as robust. He has to take it back and say ‘your language is a disgrace. My job is to get the team to an FA Cup Final. While I don’t think that individual performance great, but job done I’ve been to four finals’
“And then he’s in Mourinho territory isn’t he, about bragging about achievements of getting into Cup finals. The problem is you can’t win.”