Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has hailed the ‘great’ arrival of Arne Slot as new Liverpool head coach despite also taking the liberty to add that his Dutch compatriot is taking on a much easier job than he had himself inherited when arriving at the\u00a0Premier League two seasons ago.<\/p>\n
One can\u2019t help but feel that Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag could be just paying mere lip service in saying Slot is a perfect fit for Liverpool as he has not been shy to fire a thinly-veiled dig at the incoming Anfield manager, claiming that the former Feyenoord boss may have been overhyped in his credentials.<\/p>\n
Ten Hag was clearly not impressed with the work Slot has done at Feyenoord this season, claiming that PSV Eindhoven, this year’s Dutch champions, had fared much better.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople have been going overly lyrical about Feyenoord,\u201d the Man United boss said to\u00a0Voetbal International, via The Mirror.<\/p>\n
\u201cFeyenoord were steady this year, but not top. PSV Eindhoven were two classes better in all areas. In terms of dominating the ball, in terms of putting pressure, in terms of intensity, you name it.\u201d<\/p>\n
PSV, who are led by Dutch coach\u00a0Peter Bosz, finished seven points clear of Feyenoord at the top of the table, with Ten Hag’s old side, Ajax, failing to qualify for the Champions League as they slumped to fifth.<\/p>\n
\u201cBosz and his staff did that top-notch,\u201d Ten Hag added. \u201cBut the rest of the club is also well put together.<\/p>\n
\u201cPSV Eindhoven were better than the rest by such a long distance, even so much better than Feyenoord.\u201d<\/p>\n
Slot will become the second Dutchman in charge of a English top flight team at present, although Ten Hag’s position at Old Trafford is understood to be under serious threat following a poor second season.<\/p>\n
United posted their lowest-ever Premier League finish of eighth and were a whopping 22 points behind third-placed Liverpool. And while saluting the appointment of Slot at Anfield. Ten Hag used the opportunity to point out how well the Reds have been run in comparison to bitter North West rivals United.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is great for the Dutch trainers\u2019 guild,” said Ten Hag, speaking to Dutch magazine Voetbal International.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Arne Slot also fits Liverpool with his philosophy.<\/p>\n
\u201cJurgen Klopp and Pepijn Lijnders have left a strong foundation.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe ends up in better waters than I did when I went to Manchester United from the Netherlands – in terms of structure in the club, in terms of balance in the squad.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is not difficult to see that the Man United gaffer seems to be nursing some measure of resentment for his incoming Dutch colleague\u2019s relatively smooth transition into the Premier League.<\/p>\n
His comments clearly expose the insecurity latent in him all this while as he now doesn\u2019t even bother to veil his true character and self-ingratiating nature.<\/p>\n
One would have expected a lot more class, or at least a greater measure of self-control in cautioning restraint, from the crass, former Ajax gaffer instead of him casting aspersions with regards to his fellow football professionals.<\/p>\n
This really does leave a lingering sour taste in the mouth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"