Ten Hag slams SOFT Man Utd players after Varane criticism

Tom Weber

Updated: 26 Feb 2025 12:49 CST
4 min read

Erik ten Hag claims that the modern generation of footballers can't take criticism after being slammed by former player Raphael Varane.

The Dutchman has broken his silence for the first time since his sacking by Manchester United in October. Speaking on the podcast of his agency SEG, Ten Hag discussed a variety of topics, including his past and future.

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For example, the former Red Devils boss admitted that he misses Old Trafford but made it clear that he is not looking to start in a new coaching role until next season.

Ten Hag also discussed his management style and claimed that the current generation of players is a far cry from previous ones - like his own -who had 'thicker skin.'

"This generation usually finds it difficult to deal with criticism. Criticism really gets to them," Ten Hag claimed. "The generation that I grew up in had much thicker skin. You could be much more direct.

"I was approached much more directly. If I would do that with my current group of players, I would demotivate them. If you do that to the current generation they find it offensive."

Ten Hag responds to Varane

Ten Hag's comments come just a week after his former player Raphael Varane criticised him for his belligerent approach to management, with the Frenchman stating that the 55-year-old would ostracise players to assert his authority.

"He always needed an example of a player who was alone the entire time he was at Manchester," Varane told The Athletic. "He did that with at least one important player on the team. He was always in conflict with certain leaders of the group. That is his way of managing.

"It's hard to find the right words. It was very tense at times. Sometimes he made an effort to listen to the players' feedback. Sometimes he made decisions without listening to the players' feelings. So there were ups and downs. It was complicated at times.

Varane then shed light on how he himself was sidelined after a 'robust discussion' with the manager. "We had a robust discussion. We told each other some truths, but then I didn’t play for almost two months.

"I said I didn't agree with certain ways of doing things regarding the relationship between him and the team. It wasn't something that I thought was good for the team because some of the players weren’t at all satisfied. It was not good in terms of the relationship with the coach."