Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says modern players struggle to deal with criticism and that his generation had "much thicker skin".
The 55-year-old Dutchman was sacked by United in October, three months after he signed a new two-year contract.
His tenure included several issues and disputes with players.
Speaking to SEG Stories, external - a media outlet attached to his management agency - Ten Hag said: "This generation usually find it difficult to deal with criticism. 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."
Ten Hag won the FA Cup and League Cup during his two full seasons at United, but they finished eighth in the table last season, their worst Premier League finish.
Cristiano Ronaldo's contract was terminated midway through Ten Hag's first season after he gave an interview to Piers Morgan in which he said he did not respect Ten Hag.
Jadon Sancho was banished from the first-team squad after accusing Ten Hag of making him a "scapegoat" following criticism of his performances in training.
Ten Hag disciplined Marcus Rashford last year for missing training following an unauthorised trip to Belfast.
Former United defender Raphael Varane last week said he was surprised the club gave Ten Hag a new contract because his connection with the players "no longer existed".
However, Ten Hag was praised for developing younger players such as Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo at Old Trafford.
He said managers "have to show them (modern players) more love".
"With this generation you choose different words and a different approach," he said.
"(Sir Alex) Ferguson also belonged to the previous generation. With that generation you could be much more direct in your communication and approach.
"A player of this generation will feel ridiculed if you approach them like that."
Ten Hag, who said he will not take a new job until next season, said he was "grateful" to United fans for their support.
"What makes the Manchester United fans so special is that they stand by the team even in the face of setbacks," said Ten Hag.
"I was appreciated and I always felt that when I walked the streets of Manchester."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cge17835e3eo
ETH:Modern players find criticism offensive
posted on 27/2/25
I remember someone making the point of back in the day the essentials were cheap while luxuries were expensive. Now the cost of essentials has gone up (ie Rent or mortgage) while luxuries has gone down (gadgets, flights abroad, etc.)
posted on 27/2/25
comment by CurrentlyInChina (U11181)
posted 3 minutes ago
I remember someone making the point of back in the day the essentials were cheap while luxuries were expensive. Now the cost of essentials has gone up (ie Rent or mortgage) while luxuries has gone down (gadgets, flights abroad, etc.)
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I think I wummed this point earlier about buying a weekly avocado Vs buying a weekly house
posted on 28/2/25
comment by LordDowlias (U3236)
posted 19 hours, 31 minutes ago
comment by FieldsofAnfieldRd (U18971)
posted 20 minutes ago
comment by LordDowlias (U3236)
posted 30 minutes ago
comment by FieldsofAnfieldRd (U18971)
posted 1 hour, 49 minutes ago
comment by LordDowlias (U3236)
posted 9 minutes ago
comment by FieldsofAnfieldRd (U18971)
posted 58 minutes ago
comment by LordDowlias (U3236)
posted 38 seconds ago
comment by FieldsofAnfieldRd (U18971)
posted 3 minutes ago
"We used to go pinching milk off doorsteps, light fires and go camping, build dens, cadge booze on the weekends, smoke rollies, play knock knock ginger, we used to be kids"
Ah the old back in my day a bit of petty theft and arson was jolly japes like the famous five. Kids nowadays eh.
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Didn't you go camping and have a camp fire ? That's hardly arson.
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Ah just the petty theft & underage drinking and smoking then
That's okay then
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Please do not be so offensive.
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I haven't been
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In your opinion.
Look I said that tongue very much in cheek.
You have criticized the way I behaved as a child. In this day and age I could take that very offensively. Who are you to say anything about my behavior as a child/young adult ?
See, easy isn't it ?
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Admitting you were a thief as a teen doesn't really put you in a position to pontificate about the yoof of today.
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OK.
You win the internet for today.
Congratulations.
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Because you did some naughty things as a child means you cannot preach as an adult Every parent would be fecked if this were the case.
Of course one can "pontificate" as an adult, with the benefit of having a fully developed brain, character and wisdom. Stupid to suggest otherwise.
posted on 28/2/25
Wasn't he saying that he was disciplined as a child but still did the naughty stuff anyway, whilst many on here say that children these days need to be disciplined like they were, whilst also saying it didn't actually work?
posted on 28/2/25
comment by CurrentlyInChina (U11181)
posted 14 hours, 45 minutes ago
I remember someone making the point of back in the day the essentials were cheap while luxuries were expensive. Now the cost of essentials has gone up (ie Rent or mortgage) while luxuries has gone down (gadgets, flights abroad, etc.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If you step back a few decades, the normal bills were power, water, telephone. Now you can add to that, internet, mobile phones (for everyone in the house), TV subscriptions, music subscriptions, Sports subscriptions, cloud storage, Console game passes. I reckon about £200 a month goes out of my account on this stuff etc
posted on 28/2/25
comment by Calum Ferrie (U1734)
posted 4 minutes ago
Wasn't he saying that he was disciplined as a child but still did the naughty stuff anyway, whilst many on here say that children these days need to be disciplined like they were, whilst also saying it didn't actually work?
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My parents were strict and i was always in trouble for doing naughty stuff. For me that's just a rite of passage as a kid. Straight-laced people are often the most boring.
I think this is different to the issue of the current yoof who seem far more entitled, lazy, sensitive and self obsessed.
posted on 28/2/25
comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by CurrentlyInChina (U11181)
posted 14 hours, 45 minutes ago
I remember someone making the point of back in the day the essentials were cheap while luxuries were expensive. Now the cost of essentials has gone up (ie Rent or mortgage) while luxuries has gone down (gadgets, flights abroad, etc.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If you step back a few decades, the normal bills were power, water, telephone. Now you can add to that, internet, mobile phones (for everyone in the house), TV subscriptions, music subscriptions, Sports subscriptions, cloud storage, Console game passes. I reckon about £200 a month goes out of my account on this stuff etc
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Could you not just cancel your phone subscription and buy a house instead? We didn't have smart phones back in my day, we just went and knocked on eachother's doors and we got by just fine and that's how we afforded to buy houses.
posted on 28/2/25
the current yoof who seem far more entitled, lazy, sensitive and self obsessed.
———
Boomers should be happy that the next generation of Tories are are in good hands then.
posted on 28/2/25
comment by Calum Ferrie (U1734)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by CurrentlyInChina (U11181)
posted 14 hours, 45 minutes ago
I remember someone making the point of back in the day the essentials were cheap while luxuries were expensive. Now the cost of essentials has gone up (ie Rent or mortgage) while luxuries has gone down (gadgets, flights abroad, etc.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If you step back a few decades, the normal bills were power, water, telephone. Now you can add to that, internet, mobile phones (for everyone in the house), TV subscriptions, music subscriptions, Sports subscriptions, cloud storage, Console game passes. I reckon about £200 a month goes out of my account on this stuff etc
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Could you not just cancel your phone subscription and buy a house instead? We didn't have smart phones back in my day, we just went and knocked on eachother's doors and we got by just fine and that's how we afforded to buy houses.
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That's nothing. Back in my day we couldn't even afford a front door.
posted on 28/2/25
comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 1 hour, 17 minutes ago
comment by LordDowlias (U3236)
posted 19 hours, 31 minutes ago
comment by FieldsofAnfieldRd (U18971)
posted 20 minutes ago
comment by LordDowlias (U3236)
posted 30 minutes ago
comment by FieldsofAnfieldRd (U18971)
posted 1 hour, 49 minutes ago
comment by LordDowlias (U3236)
posted 9 minutes ago
comment by FieldsofAnfieldRd (U18971)
posted 58 minutes ago
comment by LordDowlias (U3236)
posted 38 seconds ago
comment by FieldsofAnfieldRd (U18971)
posted 3 minutes ago
"We used to go pinching milk off doorsteps, light fires and go camping, build dens, cadge booze on the weekends, smoke rollies, play knock knock ginger, we used to be kids"
Ah the old back in my day a bit of petty theft and arson was jolly japes like the famous five. Kids nowadays eh.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Didn't you go camping and have a camp fire ? That's hardly arson.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ah just the petty theft & underage drinking and smoking then
That's okay then
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Please do not be so offensive.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I haven't been
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In your opinion.
Look I said that tongue very much in cheek.
You have criticized the way I behaved as a child. In this day and age I could take that very offensively. Who are you to say anything about my behavior as a child/young adult ?
See, easy isn't it ?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Admitting you were a thief as a teen doesn't really put you in a position to pontificate about the yoof of today.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
OK.
You win the internet for today.
Congratulations.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Because you did some naughty things as a child means you cannot preach as an adultEvery parent would be fecked if this were the case.
Of course one can "pontificate" as an adult, with the benefit of having a fully developed brain, character and wisdom. Stupid to suggest otherwise.
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Jesus Christ, sounds like some people had boring childhoods.