“Wasn’t going to have that”: United coach pinpoints real reason behind Sancho and Ten Hag’s feud
Manchester United coach Benni McCarthy has disclosed the true reason behind the feud between Jadon Sancho and Erik ten Hag.
As the 24-year-old winger gears up for a Champions League final against Real Madrid at Wembley with his loan team Borussia Dortmund, his situation could have been quite different.
Last season, Sancho and Ten Hag had a positive relationship. The Dutch manager gave the English winger several months off to recover mentally, and Sancho rewarded him by scoring seven goals in 41 appearances, playing a key role in the season’s final stretch.
However, this year their relationship deteriorated after just three games.
Sancho’s exclusion from the squad for the Arsenal match in early September made headlines. Ten Hag claimed the decision was due to Sancho’s lack of effort in training.
Annoyed by the public criticism, Sancho defended himself on social media, calling himself a “scapegoat.” Although he later deleted the post, his refusal to apologize led to his banishment from the first-team squad. Eventually, he was loaned out to Germany in January.
In an interview with 947 Joburg, McCarthy explained what transpired between the player and the manager.
“I spoke to the manager, and I told him about the delicate nature of the situation,” McCarthy said. “Jadon feels that if he apologizes, he’ll be admitting to not training hard and being lazy, essentially validating the criticisms against him.”
McCarthy continued, “Coming from the streets, no one wants to apologize because it’s seen as admitting to all the accusations. Jadon wasn’t going to do that. The manager just wanted an apology.”
McCarthy tried to convince Sancho to relent but was unsuccessful.
“I spoke to Jadon as a coach, a mentor, a friend, and someone who understands the street mentality,” McCarthy said. “But Jadon wouldn’t budge. He said, ‘I’m not apologizing because it would mean admitting to being lazy, always late, and not giving my best. That’s not what I’m about.’”
Sancho’s future now appears to lie away from Manchester, with both Dortmund and the player eager to extend their reunion. However, United’s asking price poses a challenge for the Bundesliga club.
Sancho’s situation is set to be one of the most talked-about issues in what promises to be a transformative summer at Old Trafford.
