Fred Says Ten Hag’s Man Utd Tactics Were Strong but Squad Relations Suffered
Fred has delivered a sharply divided assessment of Erik ten Hag’s spell at Manchester United, praising the former manager’s tactical work while accusing him of damaging relationships within the squad.
Fred separates tactical quality from dressing-room management
The 33-year-old Brazilian, now with Fenerbahçe, spent five seasons at Old Trafford and was part of the United side that won the League Cup and reached the FA Cup final in 2022-23. He left for Turkey before the 2023-24 campaign, during Ten Hag’s time in charge.
Speaking about the Dutch coach, Fred said Ten Hag was “very good tactically” but used a censored insult to describe his handling of the playing group. He claimed the manager had disputes with several senior figures, naming himself, Cristiano Ronaldo, Casemiro and Marcus Rashford.
Fred said his own lack of minutes created tension, adding that he believed Ten Hag showed preference towards Dutch members of the squad. He described the environment as divided into cliques, while maintaining that Ten Hag ranked among the strongest coaches he had worked with in terms of tactical preparation.
Ten Hag arrived from Ajax with a substantial European reputation after four seasons in Amsterdam, including a run to the Champions League semi-finals. His United reign brought both the League Cup and FA Cup, but the club did not mount the expected challenge in the Premier League.
Ronaldo situation cited as a key point of friction
Fred linked part of the tension to Ten Hag’s demand for greater running from his team. In his view, that became difficult to reconcile with Ronaldo’s stage of career, and the forward’s removal from the regular starting line-up contributed to a breakdown in their relationship.
Ronaldo departed United at the end of 2022 after falling out of the starting XI. Fred’s comments place that episode within a broader pattern of strained relationships between Ten Hag and established players.
- Ten Hag took over after building his reputation at Ajax, where he guided the club to a Champions League semi-final.
- United won the League Cup and reached the FA Cup final during Fred’s final season, 2022-23.
- Fred moved to Fenerbahçe ahead of the 2023-24 season.
- Ten Hag was dismissed in October 2024, with United sitting 14th after seven league matches.
Different verdicts on Solskjaer and Mourinho
Fred was notably warmer when discussing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and José Mourinho, the other permanent United managers he played under.
Solskjaer, appointed in December 2018 following Mourinho’s dismissal, was credited with bringing the group together. Fred suggested the Norwegian’s coaching staff played an important role on the training pitch, but said Solskjaer’s management of the players was effective.
Mourinho, who brought Fred to United, was described by the midfielder as a funny and decent person. The pair have since reunited at Fenerbahçe, where Mourinho is in charge.
Fred recalled sending Mourinho reports that he could be considered for the Brazil national-team job before Carlo Ancelotti’s appointment. Mourinho’s response, Fred said, was emphatic: he was not planning to leave his club role.
Key takeaways
- Fred considers Ten Hag an elite tactical coach but was highly critical of his player management.
- The Brazilian alleged that conflict extended to Ronaldo, Casemiro, Rashford and himself.
- He identified Ronaldo’s reduced role as a significant flashpoint under Ten Hag.
- Fred credited Solskjaer with unifying the squad and spoke positively of his relationship with Mourinho.
- Ten Hag’s United tenure ended in October 2024 after the club’s worst seven-game opening to a season since 1989-90.
