Erik ten Hag admits he misses walking out to the iconic sight of Old Trafford before every match, four months after leaving Manchester United.
The Dutchman was replaced by Ruben Amorim after a troubling start to the season. Ten Hag left United on the back of winning the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup during a two-year tenure.
For the first time since leaving his post, the 55-year-old has spoken out publicly in a sit-down interview with SEG Stories podcast. When asked about his time at United, Ten Hag named three things he misses the most while also speaking about the dimension of the club.
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"The club is so gigantic, worldwide," Ten Hag said. "The reach... Unprecedented and in everything, you know. The feeling is hard to describe, but before every match I always walked into an empty Old Trafford alone.
"That is such an iconic place. If I miss anything now, it is Old Trafford. I did that in the Arena or the Adelaarshorst too. On the one hand, it is the moment for myself and on the other hand, later on, the seething mass in that same place. Preparing for a match, preparing for the meeting. You try to get a taste of the atmosphere, to also give it an emotion and to convey it to your group of players in the right way."
The Dutchman also opened up on how much he enjoyed his time at the club and felt appreciated by supporters. "I enjoyed it immensely. The fans... really fantastic," he added. "So committed, so dedicated, so loyal. To my team, to me, to my staff. We also gave them two prizes after a six-year drought. I was appreciated.
"I really noticed that when I walked the streets of Manchester. How? Hanging on, they gave you credit. They were so happy with the FA Cup last year... They gave that feeling of pride back. Especially after the FA Cup. Beating the best team in the world (Manchester City, ed.), that was also great. I was quite happy with that."
Following his exit, United shared a statement expressing their gratitude to their former manager. It read: "We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future. Erik was appointed in April 2022 and led the club to two domestic trophies, winning the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024."
