Erik ten Hag didn't hesitate when asked if he's 'friends' with any Premier League managers

Erik ten Hag was posed the question in a recent interview with Sky Sports.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag didn’t hesitate when asked if he ‘friends’ with any Premier League managers.

Ten Hag, 54, has been in charge at Old Trafford since April 2022 and has enjoyed varied success so far.

The former Ajax boss has won a trophy in each season he has been in charge, but the Red Devils did finish a lowly 8th in the Premier League last term.

Manchester United have so far won just three times this season, posting successes over Fulham, Southampton and Barnsley in the Carabao Cup.

Ten Hag has often cut a frustrated figure and recently saw his coaching staff shaken up at the club earlier this summer.

Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake arrived after Mitchell van der Gaag departed to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Asked recently if he is friends with any other Premier League bosses, the Dutchman provided an abrupt answer on the matter.

“No. [They are] colleagues but not friends,” he told Sky Sports.

“If you meet them, I think it was always a good tradition in English football to meet each other after the matches.

“But with all the media now, I think that the tradition is a little bit going away.

“I think it is a pity because it was a nice tradition in English football. But that is the way the football media has progressed.”

 

The Red Devils host Tottenham on Sunday looking to bounce back following their midweek dissappointment.

Having led against FC Twente in the Europa League, Christian Eriksen’s timely mistake directly led to the Dutch sides leveller.

Ange Postecoglou’s side will no doubt pose a much bigger threat and that is something Ten Hag said his players must be aware of.

“[We are] definitely rivals,” he told the media earlier this week.

“I think this is good because it is [going to be] a very attacking game, a very open game, a very intense game. I think it has big history, United against Tottenham.

“I think both teams will be [thinking] about attacking and therefore there are always spaces which you leave then.

“That counts for both teams but of course we want to take control of the game and we will do everything to get this done.”