He Was Always Fighting Players — Fred Takes Fresh Swipe At Erik Ten Hag

Former Manchester United midfielder Fred has criticised Erik ten Hag’s management style, alleging that the Dutch coach frequently clashed with players during his time in charge at Old Trafford.

Fred, who played under Ten Hag during the 2022/2023 season before leaving Manchester United for Fenerbahçe, made the remarks during an appearance on the Charla podcast. The Brazilian midfielder later returned to South America, where he continued his career with Atlético Mineiro.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Fred acknowledged Ten Hag’s tactical qualities but questioned his relationship with members of the Manchester United squad, claiming disagreements between the manager and players were common.

The 33-year-old alleged that Ten Hag had confrontations with several high-profile members of the squad, including himself, Cristiano Ronaldo, Casemiro and Marcus Rashford. He also claimed that he was occasionally left out of the team, which he said created a stressful situation.

Fred further accused the former United manager of favouring Dutch players and described him as a coach who operated within a close-knit group. Despite the criticism, however, he rated Ten Hag highly from a tactical standpoint, describing him as one of the best coaches he had worked with in that regard.

The former midfielder also spoke about Ten Hag’s treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo during the Portuguese star’s second spell at Manchester United. According to Fred, the manager wanted his team to maintain a high level of running and believed Ronaldo’s age affected his ability to meet those demands.

Fred said Ten Hag subsequently reduced Ronaldo’s role in the starting lineup, a decision that contributed to growing tension between the manager and the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Ten Hag took charge of Manchester United in 2022 but was dismissed in October 2024 following a difficult period at the club. Fred, meanwhile, departed United after the 2022/2023 campaign.