David McDonnell of the Mirror last night reported that Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is in charge of the clubs under 23 team [The Mirror].
According to McDonnell, this is to ensure that there is a smooth progression for the Academy players when they make their transition from the Academy building at Carrington to the building where the first team players train.
The United manager said that the concept of the first-team manager being in charge of the Under-23s was something new for everyone at United, so he discussed the idea of becoming the Under-23s manager during his first talks with the hierarchy at the club.
đ¨ Breaking report that Erik ten Hag has taken charge of Manchester United's reserve team in a bid to create a better pathway into his senior team.
This will help implement his tactics/ideas from the youth teams to senior level, and give us a better identity.
THIS MAN â¤ď¸ pic.twitter.com/SHrkXcRao8
— UF (@UtdFaithfuls) December 31, 2022
“This is totally new for the people at Manchester United, but I had already discussed it during the introductory talks with the club management.
âThey were immediately open to it. They looked at Ajax with admiration because of how the club always manages to get youth players successfully through the systemâ [via The Mirror].
Ten Hag added: âI talked to (director of football) John Murtough about this at length before I came to Manchester and he set it up in such a way that I can work this way here tooâ [via The Mirror].
Whilst ten Hag makes the final calls on the Academy team selections and controls what position they play and how many minutes a player should get, he does work in conjunction closely with the official under-23s manager, Mark Dempsey and coach Paul McShane and this was something that he did when he was the manager of Ajax.
âFor me, cooperation between all the different departments is crucial to get the right culture in a club. Like at Ajax, when I entered Manchester United the reserve team was isolated.
âIt was no longer really part of the academy, but it wasnât part of the first team either. I changed that immediately – just as I did when I entered Amsterdamâ [via The Mirror].
âAt Ajax, the reserve team came under the responsibility of the manager. That was the only way I could have influence on the flow of young, talented players towards the first team.
âOf course I still give the coaches freedom to work, but I also give them direction, by saying for example âI want that player to start making minutes in that position.â
âSo the final responsibility lies with me about how the second team performs and the flow of players that goes from the reserve team to the first teamâ [via The Mirror].
đŁ Erik ten Hag: âAt Ajax, the reserve team came under the responsibility of the manager. That was the only way I could have influence on the flow of young, talented players towards the first team.â [@MullockSMirror]
— UtdDistrict (@UtdDistrict) December 31, 2022
This is something that the Dutchman did when he was manager at Ajax, who like United are also known to giving young players an opportunity and a chance in the first-team.
Manchester United have a proud history of giving young players a chance in the first-team because ever since 1937, the club have always had at least one academy player on the bench, which is some record [via The Mirror].
This is a brilliant move from ten Hag because not only will it make the young players feel like they are being valued as the manager has an eye on them but it can also make them feel comfortable when they enter the building to know that the first team manager knows a lot about them already.