CHENNAI: The new Manchester United coach Erik Ten Hag has a huge task in hand but needs to understand the team culture to bring back the glory days of the Red Devils, feels legendary goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel.
"He (Ten Hag) has to work on the culture of the dressing room first and then the playing. But the good thing is that he has time till the end of the season to figure out what he has to do. I have confidence in him but it is not going to be easy," said the former United goalkeeper and treble-winner, who was here as part of "United We Play," a grassroots development initiative of Manchester United and Apollo Tyres.
The group of former Manchester United stars which included Mikael Silvestre, Wes Brown, Ronny Johnsen, Nemanja Vidic, Quinton Fortune and Louis Saha apart from Schmeichel felt a much deep-rooted problem seems to be plaguing the club as the spoke about the club's struggles.
United had lost 1-3 in a Premier League game on Saturday.
A major issue at Manchester United this season has been its leaky defence, and while the majority of the fanbase and media have isolated Harry Maguire as the main cause of the club's ills, former defender Vidic said the whole team needs to take responsibility.
"It is about playing as a team so you can't just blame him (Maguire). If you see, the team has conceded more than 50 goals. That is not a sign of a good team. But this is not the job of defenders alone. When I played we had players like Wayne (Rooney) and Louis Saha who were attackers but contributed to protecting the goal as well."
The legendary Danish shot-stopper feels the football World Cup in Qatar later this year will see 'good quality football' though it will be played in November-December during peak summer at that part of the world.
"The quality of football in the forthcoming World Cup in Qatar would be good I feel. The players will be ready having been involved in league football," he said at a media interaction here on Sunday.
Schmeichel, who was recently inducted into the English Premier League's Hall of Fame, said there was a great opportunity for India to increase the level of football and added that the initiative by the English club would help popularise the game in India. "It is a great initiative to give children an opportunity to play football. In my opinion everyone in the world should play football. It gives an opportunity to keep people, especially children away from playstation, mobiles, etc.
"It is an opportunity for India to increase the level of football," said the former United goalkeeper, who was here as part of "United We Play," a grassroots development initiative of Manchester United and Apollo Tyres.
Meanwhile, who played in the Indian Super League for Chennaiyin FC in the inaugural season, said the (Indian) league had grown over the years.
"ISL has grown over the years. The (Indian) national team has improved. It is a long process...," Silvestre added.
Wes Brown, who played for Kerala Blasters for a season, said the Indian players who he had played with were very talented and added "facilities have improved a lot. Slowly and surely football is getting more following in the country."
Four players from India have been selected after a competition as part of which they would get to visit Old Trafford to participate in exciting activities like a match day experience, training session with Manchester United Soccer School coaches, and legend interactions.
