Ten Hag: Man United wants to play a proactive style of football

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag sat down with club media ahead of upcoming pre-season tour to reflect on his first two weeks of training with his squad.

“I want to bring the energy in my team, but I must say, the players do really well. They are really focused. They bring, for themselves, the energy. You see they enjoy playing football. They enjoy playing football together and they really work well together.”

“I have to learn, to know my squad, the personalities, the individuals, the players. That is, I think, one of the biggest advantages from the tour, we have two weeks to work really close together and we will learn about each other because I want to learn about them and they want to learn about me, my coaches and assistant managers.”

“That is my job, to construct a team and to improve the team. You can do it in different ways or in more ways but, to start, it is out of a philosophy. And then you build it and go into the individuals, and you give them the rules and principles. But, also in the positions of individuals, you give them coaching advice, and, in the end, it’s about team results and better team performances so you give them advice to perform into the team.”

“We want to play a proactive style of football – on the ball and off the ball. That is, trying to do that has to be our intentions and it’s now, firstly, the coaches bring it over to the team that we are, in every situation, proactive. We are brave and willing to have the ball, to give each other options. But also off the ball, to get the pressing style is what we’re working for together."