Ten Hag on Utd’s 1-0 Fulham win
16/08/2024
Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester U.K.
Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester U.K.
Transcript
00:00Eric, you've got one terrific Dutch scorer from Manchester United sat on the bench with
00:29you. What's it like to have Joshua Xherxey potentially start his career in the same way
00:36that Van Nistelrooy did?
00:38It doesn't matter if he's Dutch or English or Russian or whatever or South America, it's
00:44Manchester United. Manchester United player and it's very good for a striker coming into
00:53Manchester United and to score the winning goal in his first game. I remember last season
00:58when Rasmus Hoyland in his first game scored a goal and we were all waiting on the half
01:04way line, VAR, and after two minutes they came to the conclusion the ball was slightly
01:09over the line and then it took long and it was so frustrating. For him it's very pleasing,
01:18very happy for him and it will encourage him, it will give him belief for the fans, for
01:24everyone. It's a very good start.
01:26What was the specific thing that made you want to sign him this time?
01:33There were more, some attributes we didn't have and he straightly showed it. Where he's
01:42very good in is linking up combinations and we have some good ball playing, offensive
01:49players so they can take benefit from this. But what I wanted to say is he has to arrive
01:56in the box to score goals because the main attribute from a striker is scoring goals
02:03and he did. If he's the winner then it's very pleasing for everyone.
02:09Joshua was on holiday in Los Angeles and the team were training in Los Angeles. What was
02:16the thinking in terms of integrating him into the team by him coming to counter and not
02:22training in LA? Was it just because of his Euros?
02:27We looked to everyone individually what is the right programme. He had an injury at the
02:35end of his career in Bologna. First he wasn't selected and I think it was due to that injury
02:42that they didn't select him for the Euros but then dropped a player out and they selected
02:48him. He came from his holiday and then after the Euros we decided he has to build up his
02:57fitness and he had some deficits there. He has had an individual programme to build his
03:05fitness and then to bring him into the team training.
03:08I know it's a separate matter after a good win but Jamie Sancho wasn't in the squad tonight.
03:13What's the reason behind that?
03:16First of all we need squad depth. It will be a season of survival of the fittest. But
03:24I can only put 20 players in the squad. I have to make choices and Jadon was in the
03:31week with an air infection and he was not 100% fit for this. He could play but if you
03:40can make choices, we made the choice that we chose and preferred other players on the
03:48bench. But that can change and it will change definitely in the season where we have to
03:54rotate because we can't play every game with the same. You see already today how important
04:00subs are so we need the right bench and the right balance. Sometimes it's frustrating
04:07for the player but it's about the team, it's about the club. There will be more players
04:13who will be in this position but we expect them to fight for the club. We have so many
04:20games to play and everyone will have his minutes and then you have to prove it.
04:26Were you worried that the goal might not come at all, that it might be one of those days
04:30because you created quite a lot in the first half and the second half and just couldn't
04:35find the net?
04:37No, I think so. One space we have to fill is to kill in the box and we saw it in the
04:47friendlies, we saw it last week against City. We created enough chances and not to wait
04:57for a late winner. So we could have been earlier in a winning position and we have to be more
05:03composed and we have to kill and execute in front of the goal.
05:07What do you put that down to, those missed chances? You just said it happened in the
05:11game against Liverpool in America, it happened at City. Is there a particular reason why
05:15you missed chances?
05:16It's also maybe the start of the season, players have to come in at full speed and we have
05:24enough players in the squad who have scoring abilities and most important is we create
05:29the chances.
05:33Despite the miss today, Alejandro has looked lively after coming off the bench the last
05:39two games. Can you explain a little the reason why he's stuck on the bench?
05:44Who?
05:45Alejandro Canaldo.
05:46Why?
05:47Yes.
05:48Yes, that is what I explained about Xerxe and also Alejandro. When you see his background,
05:57last game was FA Cup final and then he played Copa America but he played only one game.
06:03Then he had his break and he needed a break, we couldn't bring him into the tour. From
06:08fitness wise, probably that was the best choice, to be in the tour, to work on his fitness.
06:15But after a long season, especially a young player, he needed a break so he came late
06:20into pre-season and then we have some players in the wide areas who are performing in this
06:26moment very well. That's why he started from the bench. I think it's the same story I just
06:34explained about Xerxe, about Jadon Sancho. It counts also for Garnaccio. He will have
06:42his minutes, he will have his start definitely, so that will come in the coming weeks, months.
06:48Eric, I just want to ask about Casemiro. What did you think of his performance tonight?
06:54Is the idea that he plays more of an attacking role this season than last year?
06:59No, but a midfielder has to defend, has to attack. I think everyone knows Casemiro is
07:07also a brilliant passer. I think his performance all over was very good, exactly what we expect
07:17from him. A good organiser, very good interceptions, good in duels, but also he's a good linker,
07:25he's a good passer.