Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has backed his former club’s under-fire boss Erik ten Hag, calling him a ‘fantastic manager’ and insisting his players ‘need to do better’.
Rooney, who scored a record 253 goals for United, admitted it was tough to see them in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
But asked if Ten Hag was the right man for the job, the Plymouth manager told Sky Sports: ‘Well that’s obviously down to the owners of the football club to look at. I’m sure Erik ten Hag is a fantastic manager. He’s won trophies wherever he’s been and at Manchester United as well.
‘So yes, he’s going through a difficult period and I think he’d probably say that himself.
‘But you hope he can turn it around because too often managers lose their jobs and then it’s another rebuild with a different manager.’
Wayne Rooney (right) has backed Man United’s under-fire manager Erik ten Hag (left)
Ten Hag’s players have underperformed at the start of his third campaign in charge
United head into the second international break of the season 14th in the Premier League
United have won just three of their 10 games this campaign since finishing eighth last season and Rooney questioned the players.
‘It’s difficult and anyone would admit that Manchester United want to be challenging for titles, so to be 14th, I’m sure everyone at the club knows they need to improve on that,’ he said.
‘I know Erik ten Hag is doing everything he can to try and improve that. Players again, and I said this last season, need to do better than what they’re doing.
‘There’s a big turnaround of players over the last few years. You just want to see them challenging again.’
When asked if he had any advice to offer Ten Hag or his players, Rooney added: ‘It’s not for me to give Erik ten Hag advice. He’s Manchester United manager and very experienced.
When you’re going through a tough period the important thing is you knuckle down, you work hard and try to do the basics right.
‘I think they showed good spirit to pick up a point against Villa, but the fans probably want to see a bit more and hopefully they can start doing that.’