Ten Hag given top four ‘failure’ ultimatum as Man Utd hero Jaap Stam gets savage

Ten Hag gives Man Utd team news update ahead of facing Wolves

Erik ten Hag’s debut season at Old Trafford will be marked ‘failure’ if they miss out on a Champions League spot from here according to ex-Manchester United defender Jaap Stam. United are in pole position to book a place in the European showpiece next season for all that Liverpool are breathing down their necks in fifth.

But Stam insisted that the swing from optimism to dejection will be huge if they miss out and the hit to the finances will carry implications for Ten Hag’s second season as well.

“Ten Hag needs to reach the top four and get that Champions League spot and I think he is successful in his first season when he reaches that,” said Stam, speaking to Full Circle from bet365.

“Champions League football is so very important for the big teams nowadays. Everybody knows what that brings to the club as well so he needs to do that to be judged successful.”

Don’t miss…
Man Utd boss Ten Hag has just three undroppables and Rashford not one of them[LATEST]

Stam believes that Ten Hag has made progress with United but maintained there was still a long way to travel with the former Ajax coach yet to impose his stamp on this United side.

“He needs to still improve in the philosophy of how he plays as well because how I know from how he has been doing in Ajax and what he did in Holland it was very much more dominant than how they are playing now,” he said. “They can be and need to be a lot more dominant in those games in terms of possession.

“Since Ten Hag has been there they have made a step and know how to defend as a unit. They are working hard majority of the games for each other but they are still a work in progress. United have grown a lot this year in their approach to games and I still have the feeling they are going to get enough points to stay in that top four to get that Champions League spot.”

Ten Hag is hoping to progress further next season with a helping hand from the summer transfer window. The Dutchman is desperate to sign a goalkeeper to push David De Gea for the No 1 spot, a central defender to replace club captain Harry Maguire and also a marquee striker – with Tottenham hero Harry Kane and Napoli’s star Victor Osimhen both admired.

Jaap Stam was speaking with Full Circle via Bet365.

Source: Read Full Article