Allegedly refused to answer questions from selected journalists

TELEGRAPH:

The criticism against United after the semi-final at Wembley must have caused Erik ten Hag to react.

The result was that the United manager refused to answer questions from selected journalists at the press conference after the victory against Sheffield United, writes the Telegraph newspaper.

After the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, Ten hag was asked if it was a fluke that United gave up a 3-0 lead against a Championship. The United manager was clear that he would not participate in such criticism.

– No. I don’t want to use such a word. We are in our second FA Cup final in two years and in the penalty shootout we were determined and showed strength of character. I also see another version of the fight. We had 70 minutes of good football, Ten Hag pointed out on Sunday evening.

Before the Sheffield United match, Ten Hag was again asked critical questions and Ten Hag hit back strongly at several of the journalists.

– No, it was certainly not embarrassing. You ask if it was embarrassing? No, their reaction was embarrassing. Top football is all about results. We made it to the final and we deserved it. We lost control for 20 minutes, and with a bit of bad luck it was suddenly 3-3, said Ten Hag.

– Towards the end we were very lucky, but for us this was a great achievement. Twice in two years is amazing. For me as a coach: Four cup finals in four years. Their comments were a disgrace, he said further.

At the press conferences after matches, it is usually press manager Andrew Ward who gives the floor to selected journalists and manages the session.

The Telegraph reports that several of the journalists who asked critical questions to Ten Hag at Wembley and ahead of Wednesday’s game were ignored.

In December, journalists from Sky, ESPN, the local Manchester Evening News and the Mirror were banned from a press conference after writing stories suggesting that Ten Hag had lost his dressing room.

United’s reaction at the time should not have resulted in the matters being critical, but that United as a club was never presented with the information or given the chance to come up with the club’s version.