Fred makes major Erik ten Hag U-turn over Man United management

Former Manchester United midfielder Fred has delivered a dramatically different assessment of Erik ten Hag three years after praising the Dutchman's impact behind the scenes at Old Trafford, accusing his former manager of arguing with several senior players and favouring his own group.

Fred spent one season under Ten Hag before leaving Manchester United for Fenerbahce in the summer of 2023, having made 56 appearances during the Dutchman's first campaign in charge.

At the time, the Brazilian spoke enthusiastically about the changes introduced by his manager.

In an interview with FourFourTwo in June 2023, Fred described Ten Hag as tactically intelligent and said that he knew how to operate "behind the scenes with the squad" and help individual players.

"I can see that he's already had a huge impact on the club and is a key element of our routine," Fred said at the time.

More than three years later, however, the midfielder has offered a far harsher verdict on Ten Hag's man-management.

Speaking to Charla Podcast following his return to Brazilian football with Atletico Mineiro, Fred separated Ten Hag's tactical ability from the way he dealt with personalities inside the Manchester United dressing room.

"Ten Hag was tactically very good, but with the group he was awful," Fred said.

The 33-year-old then accused his former manager of favouring certain players, claiming that "only his Dutch players played", before again stressing that Ten Hag remained one of the best coaches he had worked with from a tactical perspective.

Fred also suggested that clashes were a recurring feature of Ten Hag's leadership.

"He argued with everyone," the midfielder said. "He argued with me, Cristiano [Ronaldo], Casemiro, Rashford... He wasn't playing me, and sometimes you get stressed."

Ronaldo's dispute with Ten Hag became the most high-profile example during Fred's final season at Old Trafford.

The Portugal international lost his regular starting position as the new manager attempted to introduce a more intense pressing game, and tensions culminated in Ronaldo refusing to come on as a substitute against Tottenham Hotspur in October 2022.

He subsequently left Old Trafford before the final whistle and was omitted from the squad for the following match against Chelsea.

Fred believes Ronaldo's age and Ten Hag's physical demands contributed to the disagreement.

"He wanted the team to run, but Cristiano was already older," Fred explained. "He took Cristiano out and then there was a row."

Ronaldo's contract was terminated by mutual consent the following month after his explosive interview with Piers Morgan, in which he said that he did not respect Ten Hag because he did not feel respected by the Dutchman.

Fred's latest comments are notable because they do not amount to a complete rejection of Ten Hag's coaching.

The former United midfielder repeatedly praised his tactical work, even while delivering a much more negative assessment of his relationships with players.

That distinction closely mirrors criticism which emerged later in Ten Hag's reign.

Jadon Sancho was removed from first-team training following a public disagreement with the manager in 2023, while Marcus Rashford also faced disciplinary action during Ten Hag's spell.

Former United defender Raphael Varane subsequently described his own relationship with Ten Hag as "very tense" and claimed that the coach was frequently in conflict with important members of the dressing room.

Fred contrasted Ten Hag's approach with that of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, his manager for most of his United career.

The Brazilian suggested that Solskjaer's assistants played a greater role in the tactical work on the training ground, but praised the Norwegian's ability to keep the squad united.

"Solskjaer was good with the group, but he was helped [in training] by his assistants," Fred said. "He united the group."

The contrast with Fred's own words from 2023 is particularly striking.

Back then, he praised Ten Hag not only for his tactical intelligence but specifically for knowing how to manage matters behind the scenes and help his players individually.

His assessment now draws a much sharper dividing line: Fred continues to regard Ten Hag as one of the strongest tacticians he has worked under, but his view of the Dutchman's management of the Manchester United dressing room has changed dramatically.

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