Key quotes from Ten Hag's press conference
Erik ten Hag says tests like playing Fenerbahce away, in their intimidating Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, should be relished by Manchester United’s players.
The boss was speaking at the team’s Istanbul hotel, ahead of our third Europa League match of the season.
Our meeting with last season’s Super Lig runners-up kicks off at 20:00 BST on Thursday and is being eagerly anticipated by those in Turkey, who sense a potential scalp for a side managed by Jose Mourinho and containing several former Premier League players, including ex-Reds in Sofyan Amrabat and Fred.
Ten Hag said his side love playing in these sorts of environments – it’s why they became professionals – as he discussed getting a first win in this season’s competition and his European trophy targets.
Read on for the full quotes from Erik’s press conference, including an update on Mason Mount, respect for Mourinho and more…
LATEST ON MOUNT
“I think a bit longer, that’s what we expected. I think he will be back soon. The players who are available have to do the job [against Fenerbahce] and they are capable of doing the job.”
Ten Hag's press conference v Fenerbahce
Press conference | Erik ten Hag previews our Fenerbahce clash, alongside Christian Eriksen...
ATMOSPHERE WON’T BE AN ISSUE
“I think we have enough players in the team that are so experienced. Our team is so experienced. We’ve faced such situations more often. I think we’re looking forward, I think it will be a great ambience [in the stadium]. That’s fuel for the team and it’s a real challenge, it’s a motivation, it’s really good for us.”
EUROPA LEAGUE A BIG TARGET
“We won domestic cups after he [Jose Mourinho] left but Man United didn’t win in Europe. It’s also, for us, a target that we want to achieve and we have a big opportunity this season but, of course, we have to qualify, we have to win games. It’s a new set-up, we are now two games under way. We have two points, so we know what we have to do, we have to win games.”
ON EUROPEAN PERFORMANCES
“The season we just started, we’ve had some good draws. The first season, I think, there were a lot of European games, last season obviously in domestic [football] and also, in Europe, was a difficult journey. But we are confident we are capable of doing this, of winning games in the Premier League and in Europe.”
COMPARISONS TO JOSE
“Yes, Mourinho and I, we won a lot of trophies in the last years. But you have to prove yourself every year and when you don’t win, we are always under criticism. We know that, we are experienced enough. Professional football is about winning games. When you don’t win games, criticism is coming, but we also know it’s about how you are in the end of the year. Mourinho is so experienced, he will lead his team to its best form and will be successful and so will we. We are convinced we are in the right direction and if we follow the right path, we will achieve what our targets are.”
FAMILIAR FENER FACES
“Fenerbahce is a very good team with a lot of good players. We know some. Fred, a long time at Manchester United, very experienced. We won the Carabao Cup with him. With Sofyan Amrabat, we won the FA Cup, very experienced also and very good in the World Cup. Dusan Tadic: [I have a] long history with him at Ajax, won also a lot of trophies with him. They have so many experienced and good players and they have an experienced coach, so these are very good players, very good team. We will not underestimate them, we will not overestimate them. We have to play our own game. We love to play in this environment, we’re really looking forward and we’re always looking forward [to playing] against good teams, because that’s why you become a professional footballer: to go for these challenges.”
Ten Hag's team news for Fenerbahce clash
ArticleErik expects Mason Mount back soon as he feels he has the players to win in Istanbul.
INJURIES NOT A CONCERN
“It’s complicated, it’s never easy but that you know beforehand. We have to deal with it and we will deal with it as a team. We have to cover many games in a short time, we will do that as best as possible. We have to progress. I think we made a good step and now we have to follow up tomorrow, and then we have to go again on Sunday. Players like to play football instead of doing training, so, for players, it’s best the way it is: so many games coming up and, as a team, it’s also an advantage. As long as you have players available enough, so you can construct a team and that you don’t have to go into a big injury risk. At this moment, we are still okay, hopefully we don’t get many more injuries because then we will be short.”