"This season was a mess!" - Ten Hag reacts after guiding Man Utd to FA Cup triumph - ITV Sport

ITV Sport

25 May 202406:35

Summary

TLDRIn this interview, the Manchester United manager reflects on winning the FA Cup amidst a challenging season. He emphasizes the collective effort and resilience of the team, highlighting the importance of overcoming setbacks and criticism. The manager also praises the contributions of the coaching staff and the academy in developing young talents, who played a crucial role in the victory. Despite acknowledging the team's progress, he asserts there's more work to be done to reach their full potential. He expresses hope for consistency and improvement, stressing the need for player availability and competition to maintain a high standard of performance.

Takeaways

🏆 The manager emphasizes that winning the FA Cup is about the club and the team's collective effort, not just an individual achievement.
🤝 The team faced a complicated season with many setbacks, but they always managed to get back up and improve, showing resilience.
👏 The manager praises the hard work of the young players and the staff, particularly the academy, for developing the talent that contributed to the victory.
🤔 Despite acknowledging Manchester City as the best team in the world, the manager expresses confidence in their ability to compete and win, highlighting the importance of belief.
👍 The manager commends the character and leadership shown by the team, especially in the face of injuries and inconsistent performances throughout the season.
🌟 The script mentions the importance of having key players available for consistency, as injuries to important players like Luke Shaw and others affected the team's performance.
🔝 The manager is proud of the progress made, especially in terms of character and leadership, and believes the team is developing in the right direction.
👦 The historic achievement of two teenagers scoring in an FA Cup Final is highlighted, and the manager advises them to remember the feeling and aim for more success.
🤝 The manager appreciates the support of the fans and the media, asking not to be too harsh on the team despite the challenges faced this season.
🙏 The manager expresses his desire to stay with Manchester United for the next season, acknowledging that it's not entirely up to him but showing commitment to the project.
🎉 The interview concludes with a congratulatory note on winning the FA Cup, marking a positive end to a challenging season for Manchester United.

Q & A

What is the significance of winning the FA Cup for the team?
-Winning the FA Cup is significant for the team as it represents overcoming a complicated season with many setbacks and criticisms. It's a collective achievement that reflects the team's resilience and ability to perform well under pressure.
How does the manager describe Manchester City's performance?
-The manager acknowledges Manchester City as the best team in the world, playing incredible football and having gone 30 games without a loss. He admires Pep Guardiola's impact on the team and the quality of the players.
What was the manager's strategy going into the game?
-The manager had hope and an idea that they could win, despite the strong opposition. He believed in the team's potential, especially considering their previous encounters with Manchester City, and the possibility that Manchester City might not have their best day.
What did the manager say to the two teenagers who scored in the FA Cup Final?
-The manager told them to remember the feeling of winning and to ensure they are back next season to celebrate more victories, emphasizing that winning a cup, especially the FA Cup, is an immense achievement.
How does the manager plan to translate the FA Cup performance into consistency?
-The manager believes that to be consistent, they first need to have all players available, as competing in the league is challenging without a full squad. He also mentions the importance of competition within the team to ensure players perform at their best.
What challenges did Manchester United face in terms of player availability?
-Manchester United faced numerous issues with player availability, including injuries to key players like Luke Shaw, Harry McGuire, and Rasmus Holland. They also had to deal with a lack of a fullback on the left side and inconsistency in the number six and striker positions.
How does the manager view the leadership qualities within the team?
-The manager sees progress in leadership, highlighting Bruno Fernandes as a great captain and acknowledging the contributions of other players like Raa Rana, Lia Martinez, Scott MC, and Onana for their leadership and energy.
What does the manager think about the criticism he has received?
-The manager seems to take the criticism in stride, agreeing that he has done some tough things but also emphasizing the progress and development of the team and players under his management.
Will the manager be at Manchester United next season?
-The manager expresses his desire to stay, stating that he is part of a project and has seen improvements and development in the team. However, he acknowledges that the decision is not solely up to him.
How does the manager reflect on the season and the FA Cup win?
-The manager admits the season has been a mess but points out the reasons behind it. Despite the challenges, he is proud of winning another trophy and sees the team and its players developing positively.

Outlines

00:00

🏆 Reflections on FA Cup Victory and Team Resilience

The speaker reflects on the significance of winning the FA Cup, emphasizing that it's not about personal glory but about the club and the team's journey. Despite a complicated season with setbacks and criticism, the team showed resilience, continually getting up after falling. The victory was particularly sweet as it came against a formidable opponent, Manchester City, and was attributed to the team's belief and a bit of luck on their part. The speaker also highlights the importance of having all players available for consistency and the role of leadership within the team, mentioning Bruno Fernandes as a great captain and acknowledging the contributions of other players like Rana, Martinez, and Scott McTominay. The conversation ends with a question about the speaker's future as Manchester United's manager, to which he expresses his desire to stay but acknowledges it's not solely his decision.

05:02

🔄 Acknowledging Challenges and Growth Despite a Rocky Season

In this paragraph, the speaker discusses the challenges faced throughout the season, acknowledging that it was indeed a 'mess' but also pointing out the reasons behind it. Despite the difficulties, the team managed to win another trophy, which the speaker sees as a sign of the team's development. He praises the performances of key players like Bruno Fernandes, Scott McTominay, and the growth of young talents. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of time for the team to reach its full potential. The conversation concludes with a note on the unpredictability of football and the need to celebrate the FA Cup victory as a remarkable end to a tough season.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡FA Cup

The FA Cup, also known as the Football Association Challenge Cup, is a prestigious football competition in England. It is one of the oldest football tournaments in the world. In the script, the speaker reflects on the significance of winning the FA Cup, emphasizing that it's not about individual glory but about the club and the team's collective achievement, especially after overcoming a complicated season with many setbacks.

💡Manchester City

Manchester City is a professional football club based in Manchester, England, and one of the most successful clubs in the English Premier League. The script mentions Manchester City as the best team in the world, highlighting their incredible football and the speaker's admiration for their manager, Pep Guardiola. The comparison is used to underscore the significance of the victory in the FA Cup final.

💡Setbacks

Setbacks refer to difficulties or obstacles that hinder progress or achievement. In the context of the script, the speaker talks about the team's challenging season filled with setbacks, which they had to overcome. These setbacks included bad performances and criticism, which the team had to deal with and learn from to improve.

💡Leadership

Leadership is the action of leading a group of people or an organization. It involves providing direction, setting goals, and making decisions. The script discusses the importance of leadership within the team, mentioning Bruno Fernandes as a great captain and the addition of other leaders like Cristiano Ronaldo and Casemiro, which has helped the team's progress.

💡Consistency

Consistency in sports refers to the ability to perform at a high level over time without significant fluctuations. The speaker in the script talks about the need for consistency in performance, which requires having all players available and creating competition within the team to maintain high standards.

💡Injuries

Injuries are physical damages or traumas that can affect an athlete's ability to perform. The script mentions the impact of injuries on the team's performance, with key players like Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, and Casemiro being unavailable at times, which affected the team's ability to compete consistently.

💡Team Development

Team development refers to the process of improving the skills, teamwork, and overall performance of a group. The speaker discusses the development of the team under his management, highlighting the growth of young players and the improvement of established stars, which is a key part of the team's journey towards success.

💡Performance

Performance in sports is the act of participating in or the manner in which an individual or team plays in a game or competition. The script refers to the team's performance in the FA Cup final as 'very good,' contrasting it with the team's overall performance in the league, which was less consistent.

💡Teaching Moments

Teaching moments are opportunities to impart knowledge or life lessons. The script describes how the speaker used the victory to teach young players to remember the feeling of winning and to strive for more success in the future, as exemplified by telling Kobby Mino to aim for more trophies next season.

💡Belief

Belief is the state or quality of accepting something as true or real. In the script, the speaker talks about the team's belief in their ability to win the game against a formidable opponent like Manchester City, which was strengthened by their previous performances and the hope that the opponent might not be at their best.

💡Management

Management in sports refers to the process of overseeing and controlling a team, including making decisions about tactics, player selection, and more. The script touches on the speaker's management of the team, including the tough decisions made and the improvements seen in the team's performance and development.

Highlights

The interview emphasizes that the FA Cup win is not about individual achievement but about the club and team overcoming a complicated season with many setbacks.

The team consistently had to rise above criticism and poor performances to achieve success.

The win against Manchester City, considered the best team in the world, required a strong belief and some luck on their side.

The significance of two teenagers scoring in the FA Cup Final for the first time ever is highlighted, showing the importance of hard work and development in the academy.

The necessity of having all players available to be consistent in the tough league is stressed, highlighting the impact of injuries on the team's performance.

The team had to use multiple different center-back partnerships and faced challenges with player availability throughout the season.

The performance on the day was praised, but the need for more consistency and competition within the squad was acknowledged.

The character and leadership within the team have improved, with players like Bruno Fernandes and Raphael Varane contributing significantly.

There is a recognition of the progress made despite the challenges, with particular players and the overall squad showing development.

The manager expresses confidence in his project and belief in the team's potential, despite acknowledging the messiness of the current season.

Winning the FA Cup is seen as a major achievement and a positive end to a difficult season.

The interviewer acknowledges the tough decisions and actions taken by the manager throughout the season.

The manager's future with the club is uncertain, but he expresses a desire to stay and continue the project.

The conversation touches on the broader challenges faced by football managers, including dealing with injuries and maintaining squad morale.

The manager's reflection on the season shows a mix of frustration with setbacks and optimism for the future, highlighting the importance of development and resilience.