Erik ten Hag has issued a blunt response after being asked about Louis van Gaal’s recent comments. The former Manchester United manager said in midweek that the Ajax boss should turn down a move to Old Trafford, branding his former employers as a ‘commercial club’. And it seems the 52-year-old has no intention of speaking out on the matter.
Manchester United have interviewed Ten Hag for the manager’s job, with the Ajax boss presently ahead of Mauricio Pochettino, Julen Lopetegui and Luis Enrique in the race to take over.
And all signs are pointing to the 52-year-old being given the keys to Old Trafford.
Speaking recently, Van Gaal urged Ten Hag to reconsider joining United – saying the Red Devils, who he managed between 2014 and 2016, were a ‘commercial club’.
“Erik ten Hag is a great coach, and that is always good for Manchester United,” he said earlier this week.
“But Manchester United are a commercial club, so it’s a difficult choice for a coach. He’d better go to a football club.
“I’m not going to advise him, he’ll call me himself. But he must choose a football club and not a commercial club.”
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“Daley brought this club and Dutch football so much yet he still gets treated like this by his own fans.
“Unacceptable. We can learn a lesson from other countries where players are treated with more respect.”
Regarding Van Gaal, United interim boss Ralf Rangnick slammed the Dutchman for his comments.
And he insisted that if the 70-year-old felt that way, it still didn’t stop him from taking the United job nearly eight years ago.
“Louis himself as an experienced coach signed a contract here some years ago and he could have known that in advance if he had that opinion,” he said.
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“Football worldwide is a commercialised business that’s for sure.”
Van Gaal, meanwhile, criticised United last year by saying he wanted 10 signings – only for the club to fail to land a single one.
“I wanted Robert Lewandowski, but when this proved difficult I tried to get Gonzalo Higuain instead,” he said in 2020.
“Before I had arrived, I also spoke with the board about Neymar.
“If you are at United, you have to think big – he was also interesting for the club in terms of selling shirts, and I wanted to have quick wingers.
“For that reason, I also tried to get Sadio Mane and Riyad Mahrez. Thomas Muller was on my wish list, too, and in central midfield, I wanted N’Golo Kante.
“I even tried to sign James Milner, who was already quite old but very multifunctional and possessed leadership skills.
“For the defence, I wanted Sergio Ramos and Mats Hummels, because ours wasn’t the strongest in building from the back.
“Those were my top targets, but we couldn’t get any of them. I don’t know why, because as the manager I wasn’t involved in any negotiations.
“After I left, players like Mahrez and Kante ended up at Manchester City and Chelsea, while United couldn’t get them. I found that very odd.”hile United couldn’t get them. I found that very odd.”
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