On the 6th of February, Manchester United remembers those who lost their lives in the Munich Air disaster, which was a tragedy that killed 23 people and ten Hag says that he hopes his own crop can continue the legacy of the great 1958 team.
Erik ten Hag and his players will be doing their best to honour the Busby Babes, who played the game in an attacking style that is synonymous, with the Man United supporters and the class of 1958, by playing the game in the way that they did, as according to the Man United manager, the attacking football that they played is a legacy that he wants to continue and build upon with the current crop of players and we can see evidence of that under the Dutchman’s guidance.
“I think it’s really important because it tells a legacy for Manchester United,” Ten Hag told club media. “It tells something about, of course, the remembrance for people who fell away, who died too early.
“We have to remember that every year but also it was a legacy for a commitment to attacking football. I think this is still in the club, still the players are getting here [in] their careers but also we still are playing with the approach from that time.
“That is something we have to keep remembering and it’s good that we do that again on Monday (today)” [via Man United].
The second goal against Crystal Palace, which was United’s most recent fixture and the game where they remembered those who lost their lives in Munich, was a prime example of the current crop embodying the spirit of that special 1958 team.
Ten Hag Ball is just Beautiful 🇳🇱❤️https://t.co/YCArRdPfjz
— Lens (@utdlens_) February 4, 2023
Another key aspect of Sir Matt Busby’s reign was giving academy players at Manchester United an opportunity to showcase what they can do, and it can be argued that even to this day, this is the cornerstone of what success is built on at Manchester United, and ten Hag said that the club has a duty to keep their proud academy tradition of producing players for the first team going.
“For every football club, it should be a big issue, the Academy,” he continued. “You have to also there set the high standards about constructing players and giving the players the opportunity to get a great football career.
“Not only that but also, as a club, we have a responsibility to create personalities. It’s great that legacy is still a big motivation and inspiration to fulfil that” [via Man United].
Manchester United captains Harry Maguire and Katie Zelem will be alongside ten Hag and Marc Skinner at Old Trafford this afternoon for the annual Munich disaster tribute as the quartet will pay their respects to those who lost their lives 68 years ago in Munich.