Former Bayern Munich reserves captain Tobias Schweinsteiger has recalled being coached by Erik ten Hag.
Schweinsteiger is the brother of former Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and played for two years under Ten Hag with Bayern Munich II.
He said of the new United manager: “We worked together for two years, two complete seasons, in the Under-23s team.
“I have been his captain over these two years and for me, yeah, he is a role model. It’s because of him that I started coaching.
“He was always talking to me and I was talking to him and he always talked like: ‘Tobi, think like a player. Don’t think like a coach because you’re still a player.’ But he gave me that feeling that there could be a talent for me in coaching.
“For me, he’s a role model. He’s developed over the years. I met him three years ago on a visit in Amsterdam for one week. I visited him and the first team, and also the youth teams, he showed me everything. He was so open. He showed me their philosophy, his philosophy, what he developed, his style of coaching, his style of leadership. For me, he is one of the best coaches in Europe, for sure.”
The Nurnberg assistant coach also offered an insight of what United’s players can expect from the departing Ajax boss.
“He is a master in training sessions,” the 40-year-old told manutd.com. “I remember we had long training sessions in the second team and, in the club, there were some rumours about long training sessions in the Under-23s.
“After a few weeks, we recognised why were doing long training sessions. He wanted us to be perfect and would stop the training session if it doesn’t work and if it was not perfect at all. And, from time to time, the training sessions weren’t that long anymore because we were better. We were improved and, in rondos, in pressing situations, we were better and better, so the time was shorter on the pitch.
“But, yeah, he was, for me, the first coach when I felt like a training session made sense. Before, training sessions were okay – this part, this part and then that part. He was the first coach, for me, from the warm-up to the last match on the pitch it was like okay, one seam and we are working on that until it’s perfect.
“That’s a big part of my training philosophy as well, also with the education and the UEFA pro-licence I did last season, that’s a big part – to have one seam and work in that seam until it’s perfect. Don’t stop until it’s perfect. He is that guy who doesn’t stop until it is perfect.”
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