Former Manchester United midfielder Fred has strongly criticised Erik ten Hag, claiming the Dutch manager was tactically excellent but struggled to manage the squad and regularly clashed with players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Casemiro and Marcus Rashford.
Ten Hag guided Manchester United to the English League Cup and the FA Cup final during the 2022-23 season. However, Fred said his experience working under the manager left him with “very negative” memories.
The 31-year-old Brazilian made the comments while appearing on the “Sharla” podcast, where he acknowledged Ten Hag’s coaching ability but questioned his approach to the dressing room.
“Ten Hag was a great coach tactically, but he was a real disaster with the team,” Fred said. “He argued with everyone. He argued with me, with Cristiano, with Casemiro and with Rashford.”
Fred also claimed he was regularly overlooked for selection and suggested Ten Hag gave preferential treatment to players from the Netherlands.
“He did not play me in matches and, at times, the atmosphere was extremely tense,” Fred said, in comments reported by French website Foot Mercato. “Under Ten Hag, the Dutch players were the ones who received more opportunities to play.”
The former Manchester United player went on to accuse Ten Hag of creating divisions within the squad, while maintaining that the manager’s tactical qualities were beyond question.
“He was a manager surrounded by factions,” Fred said. “But when it comes to the tactical side, he is one of the best coaches I have ever worked with.”
Fred also discussed one of the most significant disputes of Ten Hag’s time at Manchester United: the breakdown in his relationship with Ronaldo.
According to Fred, Ten Hag wanted Manchester United to play with greater pace and movement. The manager therefore believed Ronaldo, who was older at the time, was no longer the ideal player to carry out his plans.
“He wanted the team to be fast, but Cristiano had grown older,” Fred said. “That is why he left him out of the starting XI, and a disagreement developed between them.”
Fred’s comments present a contrasting view of Ten Hag’s tenure at Manchester United. While the Brazilian credited the manager with outstanding tactical ability and acknowledged the club’s success in winning the English League Cup and reaching the FA Cup final, he described persistent problems inside the dressing room.
Those tensions ultimately coincided with several players leaving the club. Fred was among them, moving from Manchester United to Turkish club Fenerbahce.