During the 2024 summer tour to the US, many members of Man United 's new leadership team also followed the players. Previously, Man United's coaches often kept a distance from the leadership team such as the CEO or Sports Director on the training field and rarely communicated. But now, Erik ten Hag and this group are very close.
When Sir Dave Brailsford appointed Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox to two new leadership positions, the Ashworth - Wilcox - Ten Hag trio proved to be very compatible. They often talk in great detail on the practice field. Wilcox and Ashworth often give Ten Hag suggestions to make each exercise better, which is very different from John Murtough and Richard Arnold before.
One of Man United's biggest additions this season is Ruud van Nistelrooy . The former Dutch striker scored 150 goals in 219 appearances for the "Red Devils" while still wearing soccer shoes. Now, in a new role, Van Nistelrooy is expected to help the club's strikers improve their finishing skills, which are currently quite poor.
When Van Nistelrooy appeared on the practice field and on the field in the US, many "Red Devils" fans chanted his name like the day he scored on the Premier League lawn. Van Goal's appeal remains unchanged.
Man United's training method also changed compared to previous friendly trips. In each session, Ten Hag divided the team into 3, each group of 8 people according to the colors orange, black and yellow. The first exercise is to overcome the opponent's block by team coordination. Next, the players will practice weaving and overlapping the ball together, followed by finding the fastest way to get the ball into the penalty area.
Van Nistelrooy requires the players to maintain the same speed from the beginning to the end of each small exercise, not allowing the intensity to decrease. During the first two days in the US, the person who left the biggest impression on the training field was Marcus Rashford. "Doctor" passed people easily and scored sharply. He showed positive spirit and physical condition after a full summer of rest because he did not play EURO 2024.
Not only Marcus Rashford , many other names also show excitement such as Scott McTominay, Amad Diallo, Antony and Jadon Sancho. They are all players who were doubted after an eventful season, but what remains now are smiles and excitement to look forward to the 2024-2025 campaign together.
In addition to Van Nistelrooy, Ten Hag also appointed a new member of the coaching staff, Jelle ten Rouwelaar. Ten Rouwelaar has replaced Richard Hartis as goalkeeping coach. Commenting on the new member of the coaching staff, Tom Heaton said that the goalkeepers really like the new coaching style of the 43-year-old teacher. It brings many unique features, never seen before. In particular, fun is something Ten Rouwelaar prioritizes no less important than professional exercises.
After deciding to continue sticking with Erik ten Hag, INEOS with its head Sir Jim Ratcliffe did not show any reluctance. They focused all conditions on the Dutch strategist to do his best job. A difficult new season is ahead and it is unknown how far Man United will go. However, everything is looking good right now.
