# Fred and Ten Hag exchange criticisms over United tenure > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/freds-criticism-of-erik-ten-hags-management > Updated: 2026-10-20T07:55:37.000Z. Sources: 94. Developments: 3. Former Manchester United midfielder Fred has criticized former manager Erik ten Hag regarding his leadership and squad management. Speaking on the ‘Charla Podcast’, Fred acknowledged Ten Hag’s tactical proficiency, calling him “one of the best I’ve ever worked with,” but heavily criticized his interpersonal skills. Fred alleged that Ten Hag fostered cliques within the team, stating, “Only his Dutch players played. He was a coach of little groups.” He noted that the manager frequently clashed with several key players, including himself, Casemiro, Marcus Rashford, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Regarding the friction with Ronaldo, Fred explained that the tension arose from a philosophical disagreement over playing style, noting that Ten Hag demanded a high-pressing, high-intensity running game that conflicted with Ronaldo’s stage of career. Erik ten Hag has since responded to his tenure and dismissal by INEOS, expressing disappointment over what he described as “broken promises” by club leadership. In an interview with The Athletic, he alleged that the takeover process created a “toxic culture” and a lack of communication. He specifically cited the sale of Scott McTominay to Napoli as an instance where his transfer requests were ignored, calling the decision “disappointing and embarrassing.” Addressing the conflict with Cristiano Ronaldo, Ten Hag countered Fred’s assessment by alleging the striker let the team down through a lack of physical preparation. Ten Hag claimed Ronaldo failed to reach required heart-rate levels during training and recalled an incident following a 4-0 defeat to Brentford in August 2022, where Ronaldo reportedly completed only two of three required running laps. He further alleged that Ronaldo encouraged teammates to ‘save your legs at the training,’ which impacted the team's collective intensity. ## Claims - Cristiano Ronaldo lacked the physical preparation required to perform at the required intensity. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Ronaldo told teammates to ‘save their legs’ during training sessions. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Ten Hag flew to Portugal to speak with Ronaldo before officially taking charge of Manchester United. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Erik ten Hag was sacked by Manchester United in October 2024. (single source) - Ten Hag claims INEOS broke promises regarding loyalty and communication. (single source) - Scott McTominay was sold to Napoli for £25.7 million in the summer of 2024. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-10-20: Erik ten Hag criticizes Cristiano Ronaldo's conduct at Manchester United Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag claims Cristiano Ronaldo failed to meet fitness and professional standards, undermining tactical plans and team culture during their time together. 87 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/erik-ten-hag-discusses-manchester-united-dismissal-and-cristiano-ronaldo ### 2026-10-05: Fred criticizes Erik ten Hag's management at Manchester United Former Manchester United midfielder Fred criticized Erik ten Hag's management, alleging the coach created cliques and had frequent conflicts with star players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Casemiro. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/fred-criticizes-erik-ten-hags-management-at-manchester-united-1 ### 2026-10-02: Fred criticizes Erik ten Hag's management at Manchester United Former Manchester United player Fred has criticized Erik ten Hag’s man-management, alleging the coach created cliques and clashed with stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, despite praising his tactical skills. 12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/fred-criticizes-erik-ten-hags-management-at-manchester-united --- Cite as: Fred and Ten Hag exchange criticisms over United tenure. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/freds-criticism-of-erik-ten-hags-management