Sir Alex Ferguson Advises Erik ten Hag to Steer Clear of a ‘Perilous’ Jadon Sancho Situation at Man Utd
Sir Alex Ferguson’s previous remarks regarding the importance of managers having complete control of the locker room should serve as a warning to Erik ten Hag in light of his public dispute with Jadon Sancho.
The Red Devils confirmed in a Thursday statement of 21 words that Sancho would be training separately from the rest of the squad due to an ongoing ‘discipline issue.’
The announcement follows Erik ten Hag’s scathing remarks that the United winger was omitted from the matchday squad for their match against Arsenal due to his poor performance in training.
Sancho publicly refuted his manager’s statements and reportedly refused to apologize to the Dutchman following a meeting between the two.
As tensions between Ten Hag and Sancho increase, former manager and Manchester United icon Ferguson’s comments about “discipline” have resurfaced.
“Manchester United would not be the Manchester United we know if the players controlled the manager,” Ferguson told the Harvard Business Review in 2013. “If the players decided how the training should be, what days they should have off, what the discipline should be, and what the tactics should be, then Manchester United would not be the Manchester United we know.”
“Before I came to United, I told myself I wasn’t going to allow anyone to be stronger than I was. Your personality has to be bigger than theirs. That is vital. There are occasions when you have to ask yourself whether certain players are affecting the dressing-room atmosphere, the performance of the team, and your control of the players and staff.
“If they are, you have to cut the cord. There is absolutely no other way. It doesn’t matter if the person is the best player in the world. The long-term view of the club is more important than any individual, and the manager has to be the most important one in the club.”
According to ESPN, Ten Hag appears to be heeding Ferguson’s advice and has maintained his demand for an apology, placing Sancho’s future at Old Trafford in grave jeopardy.
