A BOOZE BAN is one of a number of new hardline rules Erik ten Hag has reportedly installed at Manchester United.
The Dutch coach left Ajax this summer to take over at Old Trafford and is already making an impact both on-and-off the pitch.
Bruno Fernandes has hailed Erik ten Hag’s new hardline rulesCredit: AFP
He has guided United to three straight victories so far in pre-season with his side downing Liverpool, Melbourne Victory and Crystal Palace.
However, the arch-disciplinarian’s biggest change has been his strict new rule regime – and it has won glowing praise from midfielder Bruno Fernandes.
And part of that is another new rule that has barred United players from drinking any alcohol during match weeks.
Fines or punishments will now be dished out if any player or staff member is late for a team meeting, meal or training as Ten Hag in his first step of raising standards, according to The Telegraph.
Known for his no-nonsense approach, the coach has also issued a stop on stars using their mobile phones at meal times.
Win a BMW M5 or £21k cash alternative from just 89p with Sun’s discount code
And on the subject of food, players are also being encouraged to eat club prepared meals rather than using personal chefs.
We previously revealed how Cristiano Ronaldo, who remains absent from the club’s tour of Australia, employed a personal chef to maintain his fitness in his later years.
And the Portuguese legend was so hungry for glory that he convinced United chefs to add his favourite grub to the menu in the club canteen following his return to the club last year.
Ronaldo is super strict when it comes to his diet, which allows him to eat up to six times a day, and was asked to provide a list of his preferred foods.
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
Top of the list was a traditional Portuguese stew called Bacalhau, made with salt cod and eggs, which didn’t cause too much of a stir among his team-mates – although some of his other choices did.
Whether or not they remain on the menu remains to be seen, but Ten Hag has also ordered regular BMI checks to ensure that his squad remain in top physical shape throughout the campaign.
The squad have also been told to raise any complaints directly with Ten Hag or his backroom staff as he aims to encourage a culture of honesty and togetherness and clamp down on any dressing-room leaks.
The crackdown comes after United produced their worst-ever Premier League season last term, and Fernandes is all for it.
He said: “I think we missed that [discipline] for a while and I think the way I see discipline is important.
“For me, discipline is not only the way you play on the pitch, the position that you have, what you have to do, it’s also off the pitch.
“Don’t be late for the meetings, don’t be late for the meals. I think that’s really important because if everyone is on time and someone comes late, he should be punished.
“I think it’s really good that he [Ten Hag] is doing that and, for me, amazing because I like to be on time so I won’t have problems with that.”
