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Legendary Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic says Erik ten Hag “makes players better.”
The now 41-year-old is one of the most decorated players in United’s history, having won five Premier League titles, three League Cups, one Club World Cup and the 2008 Champions League.
Vidic was interviewed by i during the lunch break of the course he is attending, the UEFA Masters for International Players, a training course for former players in administrative functions within football.
He told reporter Sam Cunningham:
“Erik ten Hag makes players better.
“He is a good coach, that is very important. He is working in the fields all the time with them.
“He is very stable as a person. He was already working for a big club and it seems that his approach is that nothing comes out immediately, it’s hard work. He sees the larger image.
“Even if he loses the match or wins the match, where does he want to go. He gives me confidence as a former Manchester United player and fan that he knows what he’s doing.
“On the field you can see that they play more as a team.
“Ten Hag has good values. That is important. I think at one point we lost that value, but now I think it’s giving it back. And it feels now that they are playing as a team.”
The Serb was one half of what was arguably the greatest centre-back partnership in United history, playing alongside Rio Ferdinand in the team that dominated English football for many years.
Cunningham asked him what he thought of United’s current centre-backs.
“Lisandro arrived just six months ago, so he did very well,” he said.
“He brings energy, he likes to defend. It seems that he is enjoying playing in England. He was a great signing.
Vidic went on to say that he believes the partnership with Raphael Varane will become even stronger. He said an important element of that was how quickly the Argentine was able to pick up the pace in the Premier League.
“I’m very happy how [Lisandro] He is playing and above all that energy that he gives to the team, that aggressiveness and that winning mentality”, he said.
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