TRANSCRIPT: Ten Hag’s Brentford press conference
How’s the international break for you? There was a huge high of Liverpool before it, but how important is it that this isn’t a false dawn and you kick on?
It was a wonderful break. It is always good when you go with a win into an international break, but definitely such a win. Then the players go to international duties and are in other teams and playing styles and systems and now they return and we have to get them back where we were. In our way of play, get them back in our team. Yesterday we started this process. It is a short slot and we have to be ready but we will be ready.
You’ve had a lot of injuries to deal with this season. What’s the latest on Harry Maguire? And Kobbie Mainoo wasn’t pictured in training?
The players are returning. They are back on the pitch and back in team training. We have one more training now but it’s most likely that we have some players back in the squad tomorrow.
Would that be Martinez and people like that? And what did you make of Kobbie’s performance?
I thought that it was very but good but we are not surprised. We have seen what he is capable of and that he can very quickly adapt to high levels. It looks very natural and we are very, very happy for him and of course, we are also a little bit proud, I will say very proud. It is great for the Academy of Manchester United that they bring up a player and then so young they are going into a national team. That is a big compliment I think for the whole club and then definitely in the first place for himself, because he did it, but also for all the ones that work with him during his Academy time. It is very good. It is very good news for Manchester United.
There’s a lot of hype around him after that performance. Do you have to be careful with that and manage it closely?
Yes, but we have discussed this before. So far, he handles it very well and if he crosses the line then of course I as a manager, and us as coaches, we will interfere. So far it is not necessary because he enjoys football and he wants to win. And he wants to give his best every day because he wants to improve. He just wants to have fun on the pitch and for him, it is fun to play dominant, to dictate the game and to win the game.
Gareth Southgate said this week that Luke Shaw is unlikely for the entirety of the Euros. Is there an update on him? Do you expect to see him in a United shirt this season?
Yes, I expect him back I think before the end of the season, that is the plan and he is still on schedule for this. He will return into our team.
A lot has happened since your last trip to Brentford in the second game of last season. How significant was that game because it did lead to quite a few changes?
It’s such a long time ago. We have come far from that point and after that we put a marker on the culture, on the mentality, on the standards. We have to execute day by day. I think we have made a lot of progress after that.
They are the masters of set pieces. Is that something you’ve looked at ahead of this weekend?
We know that but many more teams of the Premier League are masters of set plays. We have to be ready for them, absolutely.
Just on injuries, is there a chance Martinez will be in the squad tomorrow?
There is a chance, yes.
How much have you missed him?
We’ve missed him every game because he brings a composure in the team and a calmness in the team and, at the same time, a winning attitude. He can express this very clearly, he can transfer that to the team and that contributes a lot to our levels.
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