Football: Ten Hag wants to ‘keep on dancing’ after first trophy as United boss

Manchester United's Brazilian midfielder Casemiro holds the trophy as Manchester United players celebrate their win. PHOTO: AFP

LONDON – As Erik ten Hag trotted out a jubilant jig on the Wembley pitch after Manchester United’s League Cup final victory over Newcastle United, it was clear the manager’s romantic ideas about the club had blossomed into a full-blown love affair.

Ten Hag has made a remarkable impact since leaving Ajax Amsterdam to take charge of United last summer and Sunday’s 2-0 win over Newcastle was the latest sign the club are back on track after a turbulent decade.

Casemiro’s header and a deflected Marcus Rashford effort sealed United’s first major trophy since 2017, when they won the Europa League and League Cup under Jose Mourinho.

But the trophy was secured only after keeping Newcastle at bay with a gritty second-half display that underlined how much difference ten Hag has made.

Less than a year ago, United slumped to sixth place in the English Premier League under interim boss Ralf Rangnick.

Revived by the demanding ten Hag, United have set the stage for a potential return to the sustained success last seen in the Alex Ferguson era.

Former United stalwart Gary Neville told Sky Sports: “It’s about one man that has transformed a team from whiners into winners – what a job Erik ten Hag has done.

“Players are out there that shouldn’t have played for Manchester United again but they are performing at a high level. They have a spirit and a fight.

“There is a real chance of winning trophies beyond this. He makes good decisions in matches – his subs were critical in making sure they saw this game out. It’s been a brilliant last few months.

“At the end of last season, some of those players were part of a team labelled a disgrace by me and other Man United fans. It was horrible to watch. They were divided.

“The turnaround is transformational. It’s unbelievable what Erik has done.”

While ten Hag rules with an iron fist, as he showed in winning the power struggle that forced Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in 2022, the Dutchman has an empathetic side rarely seen.

That emotion was on display when he joined the Wembley celebrations, linking arms in a joyous dance with Lisandro Martinez and Antony, the players who know him better than most after their time together at Ajax.

“We have a history, the two players and me in Amsterdam. We did some dancing and I hope we can do more in the future,” ten Hag said.

On the jig, notoriously caustic former United captain Roy Keane joked with the 53-year-old ten Hag: “You should resign after that.”

Ten Hag has no intention of letting United’s players rest on their laurels as he looks to recreate the club’s dynastic years under Ferguson.

“We have to invest and suffer every day so we can win trophies. It is about glory and honour. If you want to win something, you have to do it because no one is going to bring you silverware in top football,” he said.

When he left the comfort of his role at Ajax last May, ten Hag knew the challenge of leading United out of their slump was fraught with potential pitfalls.

But the chance to manage one of the world’s most iconic clubs was too good to turn down for a football romantic like ten Hag.

“Maybe it was a risk, but I am a little bit stubborn. I just loved United,” he said.

“When I see the shirt, when I see the fans at Old Trafford, the legacy from Sir Alex with players known around the world. We want to do the same. This team wants to make its own history, its own legacy.”

His approval rating among United fans was clear to see by the huge cheer that greeted him lifting the League Cup, while Ferguson also gave his blessing when they met for dinner last week.

“The dinner shows we are good and it shows he is really involved in the club. We can all learn a lot from what he did for Manchester United. It is an inspiration for all of us,” ten Hag said.

His only misstep all afternoon came after his post-match press conference, when he almost forgot to take the League Cup trophy with him after bringing it to show the media. Even then, he grinned wryly and joked that he is already on to the “next cup”.

United fans will hope there are many more trophies to come thanks to their quiet revolutionary. AFP

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