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Keane’s challenge to Ten Hag
BY
ROY KEANE has challenged Erik ten Hag to prove he is a “great manager” by leading Manchester United to FA Cup glory.
Today’s Wembley showdown against local rivals Manchester City is likely to be the Dutchman’s final game in charge.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his football operations team at United are set to part ways with Ten Hag, who had a year of his contract to run.
England manager Gareth Southgate, former Chelsea and Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino and ex-bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel are all in the frame to succeed him.
But the Dutchman has one last chance to remind Ratcliffe and his team of his managerial and coaching pedigree, by beating favourites City to deny them a second successive Double.
Former United captain Keane said Ten Hag must find a way to win, as all great managers, like Pep Guardiola, Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger and Jurgen Klopp have done in the past. “That’s the biggest worry,” said Keane.
“You still have to produce moments, you sit in that dressing room before the game, and you still have to look at your manager and the players around you.
“If you haven’t got that belief, and you’re playing for United – huge respect for City, they are brilliant and their record is fantastic, and they could win the Double, almost as a consolation prize to last year.
“But if you’re a United player, this is my worry, looking at the manager and the staff. You’re talking about great managers – great managers produce moments in cup finals and get their teams over the line.
“All these managers, I don’t think they’ve been favourites in every cup final they’ve been in, but you manage to find a way or a system, or you get a player just back from injury, and it’s a cup final. You get us over this line. It can be done.
“I look at this City team over the past few weeks – are they favourites? Of course, but you’ve still got to believe. You have to
have some belief in United and that they can turn up at Wembley and produce a performance.”
Keane added: “The noise coming out from United last year, after they lost the final, was that they were almost patting themselves on the back for getting to the final. Cut that crap out.
“You have to turn up and put in a performance. Don’t go down after 15 seconds. Give yourself a chance. The game was over after that – City toyed with them, took their eyes off for a little bit and gave them a bit of encouragement.”
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher (left) claimed United do not believe they can beat City and suggested they are suffering from an inferiority complex when it comes to their neighbours.
“The problem is – and we know as players – I don’t think anybody from Manchester United, whether it’s the manager, the players, or the fans, is going into the game believing they can win,” he said. That comes from how bad the season was and how good City are.”