Collymore’s column: Erik Ten Hag is a genius, Real Madrid to make huge double signing statement and why Liverpool still need Jurgen Klopp
In his exclusive column for CaughtOffside, former Liverpool attacker Stan Collymore discusses some of football’s biggest talking points, including Erik Ten Hag’s tactical genius, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool future, which club Jude Bellingham should sign for and a look ahead to Sunday’s EFL Cup final between Manchester United and Newcastle United, plus much more…
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I can’t help it… I love Erik Ten Hag…
I have officially joined the Erik Ten Hag fan club. I thought his decisions against Barcelona in the Europa League second leg at Old Trafford on Thursday night were brilliant. He displayed exactly what you look for in a coach. He showed the ability to be proactive in his decision-making.
He understands that the game isn’t just 11 vs 11 anymore, rotation is needed and he knows exactly how to use his squad – we saw that with his half-time substitutions on Thursday night. He acknowledged that his starting 11 and the system wasn’t working so he changed it and it completely transformed the game. I also love how he is a manager that is greedy for silverware – he isn’t going to be content with just the one trophy.
Ten Hag is really, really growing on me whereas a manager like Mikel Arteta hasn’t. People will argue ‘well, Arteta is also all of the things you’ve said Ten Hag is’ – but I just feel like there is a ruthlessness about Ten Hag that Arteta doesn’t have. I’m not disputing the good work Arteta has done at Arsenal, but I’m really enjoying the way Ten Hag has dealt with a lot of adversity early on and come out the other side and made average players good, good players great and great players genius. We’ve seen exactly this with Marcus Rashford but all throughout the team Ten Hag has improved them. Even David De Gea has been a lot more consistent under Ten Hag and he’s arguably one of the team’s most experienced players so the manager is doing everything right.
The Dutchman also answers questions quite quickly during his press conferences and that’s a sign that he’s confident in what he’s doing. He comes across like a manager who wouldn’t say too much on the training ground but he’d give you a pat on the back if you are doing something right, or a glare if you’re not and I think, just going back to the comparison I made with Arteta, the pair’s approaches to that type of man-management are very different. Arteta is all in his player’s faces, telling them and anyone else that will listen how much he loves them whereas Ten Hag is a lot more measured. There’s no grey area with him – he’s the boss and not your mate.
I won’t say it too loudly, but, yes, Man United ARE back…
When it comes to whether or not United are back, I’m going to whisper it, but I think I have to say yes, they are.
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Depending on what happens with the Glazers potentially selling the club, Ten Hag and the technical staff could have a bottomless pit of money to work with soon and that is a frightening prospect for a club of Manchester United’s size and stature. It could jet-propel them to where Manchester City are and have been for the last few years, so lookout everyone else.
Liverpool still need Jurgen Klopp…
When you’ve got someone in charge with a personality as big as Jurgen Klopp’s and a man who has dragged the entire club, which was going absolutely nowhere, to the top of world football, it’s really simple, you’ve got to give him the resources to be able to go again.
If FSG are looking at Klopp like he’s a busted flush and considering bringing in Julian Nagelsmann, more fool them.
Nagelsmann is a great progressive young coach but he’s nowhere near the manager Klopp is yet. If the club’s owners inject some proper cash and allow Klopp and his staff to add some much-needed energy to the side they will be successful again.
So in my opinion, you could put any number of good coaches in that position and they would play an expansive style of football but Klopp and his personality is what makes the difference, so give him proper backing and allow him the chance to make Liverpool kings of Europe and kings of England again.
Real Madrid could make a huge double-signing statement including Jude Bellingham…
The most attractive option for Jude Bellingham in the summer is Real Madrid. They still have an incredible habit of winning the Champions League – it’s their trophy and La Liga pretty much guarantees players of a 50% chance of winning the league.
If I were Bellingham and FSG announced they’d sold the club to uber-wealthy owners and Liverpool could then compete with the likes of Manchester City and PSG, I’d consider going to Anfield because he could become the poster boy of their new era but if that doesn’t happen in time for the summer, which I don’t think it will, then it has to be Real Madrid.
They’re going to want him to succeed the likes of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric and he’s capable of doing that. He is also familiar with living abroad, he’s already proven that he can leave England and play in a different league so moving to Spain probably wouldn’t be a problem.
I genuinely fear that we may not see Bellingham in the Premier League for a fair few years yet and I also wouldn’t be surprised if Real Madrid tried to unsettle Erling Haaland at Manchester City between now and the summer too. There’s no way La Liga has the same kinds of funds as the Premier League does, but Real Madrid are still a massive club that always seems to find a way to fund massive signings, so watch this space – Haaland AND Bellingham to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Man United to win the first trophy of the season on Sunday…
I can’t see Newcastle United winning this one. Man United’s form is just too good. I predict a straight-up 2-0 win for the Red Devils.
One of the biggest decisions facing Ten Hag is which midfielder to play alongside Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes – Marcel Sabitzer or Fred.
Personally, I’d play Sabitzer from the start because I think he offers a little more creativity and then look to bring Fred on with 30 minutes to go and utilise his high energy. However, following his incredible performance on Thursday night against Barcelona, especially in the game’s second half, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Ten Hag rewards the Brazilian with another start on Sunday.
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