Reading manager Paul Ince says Erik ten Hag has been a “breath of fresh air” since becoming manager of Manchester United.
The Red Devils face the Royals at Old Trafford today in the FA Cup fourth round and the former United man has been impressed with the transformation that the new manager has achieved.
“What was concerning me and what you don’t see now was all the stuff that was coming out in the press,” Ince told The Telegraph.
“Stuff in-house about the fragmentation of the group, cliques, I didn’t like that – with Pogba, Ronaldo.
“It didn’t feel like Man United and it was reflected with performances on the pitch.
“This season he [Ten Hag] has come in like a breath of fresh air.”
The former England skipper also talked about the manner in which he left United. Having won the inaugural Premier League title, the club’s first top flight win since 1967, Sir Alex Ferguson famously sold Ince, along with Mark Hughes and Andrei Kanchelskis.
In his autobiography, Sir Alex claimed that Ince had orchestrated his move to Inter, but the now 55 year old says that was not the case.
He describes a scenario when he is playing golf with Ryan Giggs and Sir Alex turns up at the golf club and demands to speak to him.
“I was in the buggy with Giggsy – and I was one up and all – and I said, ‘I have to go, the gaffer’s here.’ So I left Giggsy there and he [Sir Alex] was sat in his car.
“I said, ‘What’s wrong, gaffer?’ and he said, ‘Listen we have had an offer from Inter Milan for £7.5million and we are accepting it.’”
Sir Alex then explained to Ince that he was replacing him with Nicky Butt because the money was needed to complete the Carrington Training Complex.
“I was shocked at first, thinking I had been here for six years, was coming into my prime, thinking about another four-year contract and negotiating that, which would have taken me to my testimonial year,” he said.
“I told Giggsy and he nearly collapses.”
Ince goes on to lament that although he has no regrets, he would have liked to spend his career at United like Giggs and Paul Scholes.
There were no hard feelings between him and the great man and they remain friends.
United’s match with Reading kicks off at 8pm this evening.
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