Erik ten Hag has heaped praise on his players as we approach Manchester United’s final game of the 2022/2023 campaign.
Given the intensity of their last match against Brighton, the anticipation for the final match is sky high. With a missed penalty by Solly March and a goal from Victor Lindelöf resulting in a nerve-wracking 0-0 tie, fans are eagerly awaiting what is to come in the Manchester derby.
The fact that this is not just a regular match, but the first-ever FA Cup final between Manchester United and Manchester City, adds to the excitement and tension. This grand event has attracted widespread attention, to the point where tickets have all been sold out. One can only imagine the heightened level of nerves surrounding this upcoming match.
Regardless of the result of this final match, there is an overall consensus among fans that this has been a successful season, especially considering it’s Ten Hag’s first season in charge of Manchester United. Once the dust settles after the final, there will be a chance to look back and evaluate his performance in detail. But already, the general sentiment is that his tenure so far has been a resounding success.
There have been some absolutely emphatic moments across the past months, an ongoing roulette of highs and lows. The highs have included the home wins over Manchester City, Liverpool and Barcelona, the Carabao Cup victory at Wembley that ended a six-year trophy drought, Marcus Rashford breaking records, securing a place in the Champions League and so many more.
Clearly, there have been some challenging moments in addition to the successes – like the significant 6-3 defeat at Etihad Stadium, the shocking 7-0 loss at Anfield, and the disappointing night in Seville when Manchester United played poorly and were eliminated from the Europa League.
Belief and Resilience as Key Factors in Manchester United’s Success
Ten Hag has stressed that maintaining belief and confidence, even during the challenging times, has been a crucial factor for the team. Speaking at the player’s award ceremony this evening, he shared his thoughts via the officia Man Utd website: “Many things are key, but belief that you [can] win the game is the most important. When you show confidence on the pitch and believe in the plan and believe in your colleagues and your team-mates, then you will win”.
“I think we did it [believe] in so many games – but we also dealt with setbacks. [This] is a resilient team of character and personality, that are all attributes that you need for a successful season [and] for winning trophies.”
Ten Hag isn’t satisfied just yet
Despite the strides Manchester United has made this season, there’s still a lot more to aim for. The revival of the team, also known as the ‘red resurgence’, which is taking place at their home base in M16 (a reference to Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium postcode), is just beginning. Even though this season has been quite exciting, Ten Hag, is aspiring for more achievements once the summer comes.
In a speech he made tonight, Ten Hag emphasized that “Good is not good enough, we have to do better“. He acknowledged the progress the team has made from the start of the season but also emphasized that they aren’t yet satisfied with where they are. They’re pleased with the direction they’re moving in, but they know they can do more.
This kind of ambition and high expectations from a manager is precisely what Manchester United, a club with a unique history of success in England, needs. With the right leadership, the club can regain its former glory and continue the legacy that fans have grown so fond of. The hope is to return to the days when winning was a regular occurrence and the supporters were used to celebrating.
