Manchester United suffered a turbulent for two years under Erik ten Hag, despite winning two cups and his former assistant manager has shown his roller coaster trip among the Dutchman at Old Trafford.
The former Manchester United assistant Mitchell van der Gaag by Erik ten Hag has admitted his most important “disappointment” of his time at Old Trafford that it was the bad representation of the team in the Europa League.
United underwent mixed fortunes under ten Hag when they won the Carabao Cup in his first season, finished third in the trial and the FA Cup in his second campaign.
But the 2024-25 season turned out to be the end for Ten Hag, because he was taught in October after he was united to their worst start in the history of the club, with Ruben Amorim replacing him.
Van der Gaag said he had positive memories with United, despite his turbulent enchantment under ten Hag, and said the team proved that they could be a force in cup matches.
But he said he regretted their lack of impact in the Europa League after reaching the quarterfinals in 2022-23 and lost to final winners Seville with 5-2 to total.
Speaking to give me sport, he said: “I look back on my time at Manchester United positive. I think it was two wonderful years. They were very positive and I learned a lot.
“The first year was very positive because we finished in third place, won the Carabao Cup and went to the FA Cup final. I think the only disappointment was in my opinion that we could have been better in the Europa League. But I think the first year was very positive, so everyone expected that we could improve in the second season.”
He thought about a “strange” second campaign in which the team suffered a terrible form of shape that saw ten Hag coming near the bag before he won the FA Cup, who bought him more time despite the end of the eighth. Van der Gaag said that he “learned a lot” and enjoyed coaching with United, although it ended on an acid note.
“That was a very strange season [2023-24]”He added.” We were not good enough in the Premier League of Champions League. There were also very strange results because there were games that we won comfortably and then pulled or lost.
“But in the end we won the FA Cup. It places everything in a positive way, so that was important. They were two years old when I learned a lot, especially about the way in which the Premier League functions, the way in which football is played and the tactical variations. It was something I really enjoyed.”
Ten Hag has since become the new manager of Bayer Leverkusen, but Van der Gaag decided not to get to his back room staff. Instead, he himself took over the management by becoming the new manager of FC Zurich.
It is a difficult start for the new Ten Hag team after selling two of their best players in Florian Wirtz, who joined Liverpool at a record £ 116.5 million deal, while Restback Jeremie Frimpong also moved to Anfield.
In the meantime, defender Jonathan Tah joined their greatest rivals Bayern Munich on a free transfer and threatens to move Granit Xhaka to Sunderland.