ERIK TEN HAG has has mooed back at critics claiming ‘you’re looking a cow in the ass’.
The phrase in Holland refers to people using the benefit of hindsight to criticise.
The Manchester United boss substituted both Bruno Fernandes and Antony on Thursday night saying the referee had warned him they were in danger of getting a second yellow card and being sent off.
Both were playing well and United then crumbled drawing their Europa League quarter-final first leg with Sevilla 2-2 as they conceded two late goals.
Ten Hag said: “Bruno was throwing a ball away, so the next time he is off.
“With Antony, everything is going our way we are 2-0 up, we’re playing a good game, so don’t go into individual battles with your opponents, it’s not necessary, you’re heating up the opponent and the risk to get sent off. I don’t want to take the risk.
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“So afterwards we call it where I’m coming from, you’re looking a cow in the ass. Yeah, a cow in the ass.
“So we call it in my region from the Netherlands, that is easy. But if he gets sent off you tell me, ‘Why don’t you get him off? Why did you go for the risk?'”
Ten Hag had made four unforced second-half subs in all adding to Harry Maguire replacing the injured Raphael Varane at the break.
So when Lisandro Martinez went down injured in the 86th minute they were left with ten men at 2-1 and conceded a late goal as Maguire headed into his goal.
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Now the Ten Hag is left with huge problems ahead of three games in eight days starting with the trip to Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
Then it is off to Seville for the second of their Europa League tie and three days after that it is the FA Cup semi-final against Brighton at Wembley.
Both Varane and Martinez will definitely miss Sunday’s game as will Marcus Rashford who is set to miss six games in all with his groin injury.
Add to that the fact that Fernandes is suspended for the game in Seville and likewise Magurie for the Cup semi-final.
Ten Hag said: “Every game is a battle, every game is a fight and you have to be ready for that fight.
“We have a squad – we have more than 11 starters – so now others are on and when their time is there you have to show and contribute to the team, you have to be ready. That is what we expect and what we demand.”
And Ten Hag said there can be no excuses from players who are brought in from the cold to fill the gaps left by injury and suspensions if they don’t perform.
He said: “If you want to find excuses you have to look for another club. When the moment is there you have to contribute and that is what we demand.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
