Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag believes today’s footballers struggle to handle criticism, viewing it as discouraging rather than constructive—unlike players from his generation.

During his tenure at Old Trafford, Ten Hag had several high-profile disputes with key players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, and Marcus Rashford. His time in charge came to an end in October after two and a half years at the helm.

"This generation usually find it difficult to deal with criticism," Ten Hag told SEG Stories, the media arm of his management agency. "Criticism really gets to them.

"The generation that I grew up in had much thicker skin. You could be much more direct.

"I was approached much more directly. If I would do that with my current group of players I would demotivate them.

"If you do that to the current generation they find it offensive."

Erik ten Hag spent his entire playing career in the Netherlands from 1989 to 2002 before transitioning into management.

In his first season as Manchester United’s head coach, he guided the team to a third-place finish in the Premier League, securing Champions League qualification and winning the Carabao Cup.

However, his tenure was marked by high-profile clashes, including a fallout with Cristiano Ronaldo, who publicly criticized him in an interview with Piers Morgan, saying he had no respect for the Dutchman.

Ten Hag’s second full season was far more challenging. United slumped to eighth place in the league—their worst-ever finish—suffering a record 14 defeats. Early in the campaign, he had a public dispute with Jadon Sancho, dropping the winger after questioning his effort in training before a 3-1 loss to Arsenal.

Sancho responded by calling out the coach on social media. Another controversy arose in January 2024 when Marcus Rashford was dropped after a mix-up over the timing of a night out in Belfast.

Despite these struggles, United triumphed in the FA Cup final against Manchester City in May, leading to Ten Hag’s contract being extended by two years. However, after winning just four of United’s first 13 league matches, he was dismissed in October.

Speaking to SEG, Ten Hag revealed he had received multiple job offers since his departure but would not consider a return to management before July 1.

Meanwhile, his successor, Rúben Amorim, has been unable to turn things around. United now sit 15th in the league with just 30 points, having suffered 12 defeats in 26 games.