ERIK TEN HAG has hit back at Jose Mourinho's claims that he was not supported by Manchester United's chiefs by insisting the Portuguese manager is the only coach since Sir Alex Ferguson to have gotten the players he wanted.
MourinhoThe 61-year-old had a two-and-a-half-year spell at Old Trafford from 2016 to 2018, where he won the League Cup and Europa League.
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Mourinho, was fired by Roma in Januaryspent £400 million on eleven players during his time at the club, but recently claimed that he did not have the “level of support” that Ten Hag has received since his arrival.
Ten Hag has spent around £380 million since coming through the door in 2022 and has brought in the likes of Lisandro Martinez, Antony and Andre Onana from former club Ajax.
Now he has responded to Mourinho's comments and called for improvements in his squad.
Speak with ESPN Brazilhe said: “Apart from Mourinho, the manager didn't get the players they wanted and that's what you need.
“I am confident that we will achieve our goals, but it is a tough competition [the Premier League]. It's not a two-horse race anymore.
“There are seven or eight who are all going for the title and who all have very good selections.
“So if you want to win the title, you have to put that team together.”
Mourinho had said that last month The Telegraph: “My relationship with [former chief executive] Ed Woodward was good.
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“Pretty much in person. Even now we send a text message. But professionally it wasn't the best.
“I am who I am. I am a football man. Ed has a different background and what Ten Hag has in his time Manchester United I didn't have that.
“I didn't have that level of support. I didn't have that level of confidence. So I left sad, because I felt like I was at the beginning of the process.
“At times I felt that if they trusted me and believed in my experience, things could be different.”
Mourinho also claimed there are still players at Man Utd that he “didn't want six years ago”.
Meanwhile, under-fire Ten Hag has called for patience amid uncertainty over his future.
The Dutchman's side are in eighth place in the Premier League with four games to go, having failed to close their lead. Champions League group.
But he remains optimistic as he heads into the final stages of the campaign, which will end with a FA Cup final against Manchester City on May 25.
He said: “You need excellent players. Otherwise you are in a process and you have to be patient. That is where we are now.”
“We went for players with a lot of potential, and we have to develop them, as individuals and as a team. But you need patience with the process.”