Former Man Utd manager reveals ‘delicate’ Ten Hag stars claimed injuries to avoid criticism

Former Man Utd first team manager Benni McCarthy has claimed some Red Devils players claimed they had an injury to avoid criticism.

The Red Devils have struggled to reach the pinnacle of the Sir Alex Ferguson era over the past decade with a succession of managers trying to get the club back to challenging for the Premier League title.

Erik ten Hag’s side struggled to finish eighth in the Premier League last season and they are in 14th position this season after winning just two of their first seven games.

Old Trafford, apart from a few cup wins, has not been a happy place to play football for some time, and now former first-team manager McCarthy insists some players used to claim injuries to miss games and avoid the criticism Man Utd fans and experts.

McCarthy said super sport: “Times have changed, generations have changed. Then the coach would slap you hard. ‘Benni I need you, wake up. I didn’t take it personally because maybe he was right.

“If you call a player now, he has a mental breakdown. It is more delicate. Now there’s a lot you can’t do or say. You have to think about the mental aspect and how it will affect them. Is a player okay with his life and family?

“That’s the reason why (Jose) was never successful. I think he was too honest and too direct for the players to accept that he only wanted the best because he knows your full potential. That’s what you have to do to be a world beater.

“We accepted it because we knew it. “Hey, this guy goes places and lets me do whatever I want because I’m going with him.” At United, they were (saying) ‘where will I go with him? I’m already at United. Boss, I’m hurt. I don’t want to play because I don’t want to be criticized.”

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It comes after McCarthy also claimed that Man Utd boss Ten Hag’s wife “She must be about to divorce him” for his “non-stop” attitude at work.

“I can imagine how frustrating it is for Erik because he’s probably one of the hardest working managers I’ve ever come across,” McCarthy said.

“His attention to detail, this man goes to sleep at 3 in the morning, 4 in the morning. Analysts get it from every angle, even if he’s thinking about something at 2 in the morning .

“I’m sure his wife must be about to divorce him because this is his life. It’s non-stop.

“He works tirelessly and when you put in that much work, you expect things to turn out well, but that’s why I say there’s something (not right).”