Steve McClaren believes Erik ten Hag's greatest strength as a manager is his ability to read how a game is going and make changes quickly.
The former United assistant manager is back at Old Trafford this summer, having been appointed assistant coach to Ten Hag.
The pair worked together at FC Twente more than a decade ago, when McClaren was in charge and Ten Hag was his No. 2 and a young coach looking to make his way in the game.
READ MORE: Three more signing targeted
When the 52-year-old was hired by United this summer, moving from Ajax, he wanted to bring McClaren with him and Sir Alex Ferguson's former assistant manager has been heavily involved in training during pre-season.
McClaren was impressed with Ten Hag during their year together at FC Twente and he's again noticed how good he is at reading a game this summer.
“His one great strength I always found when I first worked with him: he knew football," McClaren told the United website.
“He could read the football match, he could see things happening on the field and he’s so used to how he wants this team to play that he can spot changes that need to be made very, very quickly.
“I noticed that when I first worked with him, and I’m noticing that now. That’s his strength.”
Ten Hag has taken charge of sessions during his first pre-season at United and he is a manager who likes to play a leading role during training.
He is also prominent in the technical area during games, but he has leaned on McClaren and fellow assistant coach Mitchell van der Gaag.
“That’s how he works with the staff on and off the field: he delegates a lot. He tells you what your job is and he expects you to do it,” said McClaren.
“If you’re not doing it, then he’ll tell you that you’re not doing it. That’s staff and players.
“We’ve had a load of discussions and Erik is in charge. We are – the rest of the staff – learning as much as the players are learning. This is a new style, these are new principles, a new way of playing.
“We have to learn this as well, so he’s not just educating the players, he’s educating the staff and all of us behind the scenes as well.”
Van der Gaag worked with Ten Hag at Ajax and McClaren has noticed how detailed his fellow coach is at instilling Ten Hag's principles into the players.
“I think the way it works is that Erik has this big plan,” he said. “As I said, how he wants his team to play, in what style, principles. Both on and off the field, how he wants his players to behave, discipline.
“Mitchell has come along with him and he designs the practice sessions, the meetings that go into Erik’s plan. He’s very detailed, he’s a very, very good coach. He’s just like Erik, a workaholic.
“[He’s] really a deep thinker and really understands Erik, which is the most important thing.”
READ NEXT:
