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Manchester United won two trophies under the Dutchman but plenty went wrong during his tutelage at Old Trafford
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One former Manchester United midfielder has detailed why his time under Erik ten Hag ended so badly. Ten Hag - who was dismissed by the Red Devils back in October - won two trophies during his time in England which included successes in both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup. Having spent so heavily on trying to return the club to its former glory, player recruitment has since been questioned, as well as his tactical nuances. One star, who scored just two goals for the club, has explained why his time at Old Trafford ended so badly. Having spent time at Everton on loan previously, Donny van de Beek was loaned out to German side Frankfurt last season. But failing to impressive in Germany, the former Ajax midfielder explained why his temporary switch was doomed from the start. “I came from so far away, needed rhythm and a series of matches, but that was simply not possible. The result was that I started to drive myself crazy. I had to show what I could do in a match, which meant I went way too much. doing, and passed myself by, ” he said via Voetbal Primeur. “In addition, my home situation was anything but pleasant. Estelle was heavily pregnant, and we decided that she would stay in England for the birth. My daughter together with her. “She in Manchester, I in Germany. I was there on my own in Frankfurt. My family in England, things weren’t going well with football. I thought During that period sometimes really: What am I doing? The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. “If you play so little, you also lose confidence. That starts to eat away at you, and that’s not good as a player. ” Soon after, Van de Beek returned to Manchester United but was then sold to La Liga side Girona, where he currently resides. The Netherlands international has made 20 appearances and scored 3 times, as he looks to restart his career. In Four Four Two's view, Van de Beek's move to Manchester United never really made any sense, especially given how impactful Bruno Fernandes has been in the number ten position, ever since he arrived in Manchester from Sporting. The Red Devils are in Premier League action on Sunday, as they take on Bournemouth bidding to bounce back from their Carabao Cup exit in midweek. Matthew is a Freelance Journalist and has racked up bylines for Manchester United, Manchester Evening News, GOAL and SPORTbible to name a few. A long-term sufferer of Scunthorpe United, he currently resides in the north-west after escaping the smog of North Lincolnshire. Manchester City home kit for 2025/26: Everything we know so far ‘After the issues he’s dealt with, he deserves so much credit. You want to see a player taking players on, showing their skills, scoring goals. Luis Diaz is that guy’: Liverpool star impressing with strong performances, especially after difficult period What Trent Alexander-Arnold's 'legacy' comment tells us about his future, following revealing interview Four Four Two is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. ©
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