Marcel Sabitzer has revealed the exact reasons why Erik ten Hag is a top coach, revealing the Dutchman to be “a man obsessed with details” and a “perfectionist.”
Speaking to The Athletic in a refreshingly candid interview, the Austrian midfielder reflected on his experience working under Ten Hag during his short-term loan move to Manchester United.
Signed in January in a last-minute deal to buttress the midfield ranks, following news of a long-term injury to Christian Eriksen, Sabitzer reveals he “learned a lot about football” from the Dutch manager.
“You can wake him up at 3 am, he’d tell you his whole match plan by heart. He’s very knowledgeable about football and tactics — a very hard worker, a perfectionist,” Sabitzer described of Ten Hag. This assessment is not a new one for the Dutchman.
Earlier in the summer, a report by The Peoples Person covered sources who indicated Ten Hag’s biggest strength was his conscientious approach and razor-sharp attention to detail.
This mirrors the words of Steve McLaren, who praised Ten Hag’s “meticulous planning” and his commitment to hard work. “Erik is very disciplined and people have to buy into that and have that work ethic,” McLaren revealed to The Telegraph.
It’s natural, therefore, that Sabitzer – a player known for his work rate and application – would enjoy life under such a taskmaster.
The Austrian also praised the forthright nature of Ten Hag’s approach to his players.
“…he’s very straight with you,” Sabitzer reveals. “When I had a bad game, he showed me some situations and told me how to do it better next time. I liked that. You knew where you stood with him.”
The midfielder, now of Borussia Dortmund, also asserts Ten Hag would “never throw you under the bus” when analysing your performance. He would, instead, offer constructive criticism and tell the player to “go out and do better in the next game.”
This perspective on the Dutch manager runs antithetical to the accusations levelled at him by Jadon Sancho, who has not featured in the United first-team squad since early September, following a public dispute with Ten Hag over the winger’s exclusion against Arsenal.
Sancho accused his manager of favouritism and unfair treatment following the Dutchman publicly stating the winger’s poor training performances had led to him being dropped. It is not the first time in Sancho’s career he has been criticised for a lack of application and professionalism.
When factoring in Sabitzer’s words, it appears extremely unlikely Ten Hag dropped Sancho for anything other than the stated reason. And considering the value he places upon hard work, it’s little wonder it didn’t happen sooner.
Sabitzer paints a very complimentary picture of his former manager, at a time when Ten Hag is under immense pressure, following a dismal start to the 2023/24 season. United fans should heed the words of a former pupil of the Dutchman when he describes him as a “very good coach.”
A very good coach facing an almost improbable run of bad luck, either through injury or intervention by VAR. The tide will turn soon; Ten Hag is too much of a perfectionist to not get it right.