Manchester United’s bizzare move that destroyed Erik ten Hag’s plans

DBasia.news – Former Ajax and Netherlands coach Marco van Baste lashed out at Manchester United bosses for scheduling a burdensome pre-season tour, and feels the agenda interferes with Erik ten Hag’s plans.

The Red Devils got off to a miserable start to the Premier League under their new manager, losing back to back at the hands of Brighton and Brentford to plummet to the bottom of the table, something that hasn’t happened 30 years ago.

United conceded 4 goals in the opening 35 minutes of the game against Brentford, and Ten Hag became the first manager since John Chapman in 1921 to lose his first two games with the Red Devils.

There are various factors that play a role in Man United’s poor start, whether it’s injuries or the lack of new players.

But Dutch legend Van Basten feels the main factor is the pre-season agenda that forces players to travel the world.

“What I find strange is that every year, when they are preparing, they [Manchester United] schedule a tour around the world,” Van Basten told Ziggo Sport.

“It kills the team, it’s ridiculous and it’s idiotic. They have to stop doing it. Physically it’s bad and heartbreaking.”

“They do everything they can to get money, but it doesn’t make sense.”

Manchester United spent two and a half weeks touring Thailand and Australia throughout the pre-season agenda and have been impressive in their four games, especially when they beat Liverpool 4-0.

However, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez were bought a week after the pre-season tour started and were only able to join up with their new team-mates when they returned from Australia.

From there, United then flew to Norway to face Atletico Madrid and, the very next day, were back at Old Trafford to host Rayo Vallecano.

When Louis van Gaal was still in charge of Man United, he also complained about how heavy and hectic their pre-season schedule was. Van Gaal was fighting hard in order to reduce the traveling time of his squad.

“We have to prepare for the new season and when you have to attend commercial activities over terrible distances, have to fly back and forth and get jet lag, this situation is not positive for good preparation,” he said in his first summer at United in 2014.

Some time before being sacked in 2016, the Dutchman also complained about a scheduled tour to China in the summer of that year, although in the end he was not in charge of United, having been replaced by Jose Mourinho.

“I know a club like Manchester United has to do that, but it’s not great preparation,” he added after negotiating for his team to stay in China for eight days instead of two weeks.

United will return to action next Tuesday (23/8) and must host their arch-rivals, Liverpool.