Manchester United’s resurgence since Erik ten Hag arrived at the club last summer demonstrates the importance of making the right managerial appointment.
Ten Hag has transformed United’s fortunes, guiding them into the top four in the Premier League and to success in the Carabao Cup.
The Red Devils are also through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and on the cusp of reaching the same stage of the Europe League.
The Dutchman inherited a massive job at Old Trafford, with United failing to meet the standards they had set under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Numerous players expressed concerns over the club’s training methods under previous boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his interim replacement Ralf Rangnick.
There have been no such issues under Ten Hag, with the Dutchman initially implementing a strict regime that insisted players were making exercise a habit every day.
However, this merely scratched the surface of the overall training package Ten Hag has installed since taking on the top job at Old Trafford.
Sports psychology has played a key role in United’s improvement – a process that started by eliminating negative influences in the dressing room.
Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard were allowed to leave the club last summer, while Cristiano Ronaldo was ditched in November after refusing to toe the line with Ten Hag.
The Dutchman brought in several players with a winning mentality including Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez, and their impact at United has been hugely positive.
Having stamped his authority on the squad, Ten Hag has improved numerous other elements of the club’s training to eke out maximum performance levels from his players.
This includes upgrading United’s drones, which allow Ten Hag to take a bird’s eye view of training to give each squad member more detailed feedback about their performance.
He has also engaged experts from professional cycling to ensure that no stone is left unturned when it comes to the fitness levels of United’s squad.
On a recent training camp in Spain, the club had around 20 coaches in attendance to monitor and observe different elements of training.
Ten Hag has also invited Dutch company The Talent Academy Group (TAG) to work with the players on the psychological aspect of playing top-class football.
The firm employs several respected psychologists and life coaches, who now regularly communicate with United players to help them achieve their goals.
One of their biggest success stories was transforming Memphis Depay’s fortunes after he failed to live up to expectations during his ill-fated spell at Old Trafford.
TAG’s work with the current players is already clear to see, with many previously underperforming stars now delivering consistently excellent performances.
They include Marcus Rashford, who is currently demonstrating a level of form that has made him one of the most coveted forwards in world football.
Given that Ten Hag’s training regime has already delivered tangible results on the field, it is easy to see why United’s squad has bought into his methods.
