Being a Manchester United player should be enough motivation for their current stars to be up for big games.
That’s according to club legend David Beckham, who told talkSPORT he likes under-fire boss Erik ten Hag despite this season’s struggles.
United sit eighth in the Premier League table and will miss out on the Champions League next season, although could still win the FA Cup against rivals Manchester City.
Doubts have been raised over Ten Hag’s future at the club amid an underwhelming season, with many players performing well below expectations.
They have three huge games to close the season before an FA Cup final appearance to cap it off, but 1999 treble winner Beckham believes the squad should already be motivated to win whatever the occasion.
Speaking to talkSPORT at the premiere of ’99’, a new documentary on Amazon about United treble success, he was asked about Ten Hag having to motivate his players and he said: “Well, in all honesty you’d hope that the manager doesn’t have to do much.
“I think that’s the whole point of being a Manchester United player and playing in these big games, you should be motivated,” he explained, thinking back to the mindset that helped him and his teammates win the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in 1999.
“When you’re a professional footballer and you’re doing the job that you love and you’re at the club that you love, when you’re playing in any game whether it’s a regular season game or whether it’s an FA Cup final against your rivals, then that should be enough motivation.
“If it’s not, then you’re in the wrong team and you’re playing the wrong sport so I think at the end of the day, we went into every game whether it was a youth cup game, a friendly game, off-season or the European Cup final, with the same mentality and the same drive.
“That’s what you’d hope at any team and any player for Manchester United, go into an FA Cup final against Manchester City with enough motivation that a manager shouldn’t have to say much.”
He later added: “We all know that Erik’s a very qualified manager and a good manager and he has the right motives.
“But I think we were lucky in our day that we had Sir Alex Ferguson, we were lucky that we had Eric Harrison and Jim Ryan and Nobby Stiles and all of these great managers and motivators.”
Despite United’s 4-0 thumping at Crystal Palace on Monday, talkSPORT understands Ten Hag won’t be sacked before the FA Cup final on May 25.
If the club did decide to make a change, former Chelsea boss Graham Potter is a leading contender to take over, with Gareth Southgate and Thomas Tuchel other potential names.
The result of the FA Cup final could have a huge impact on their decision but United face three other big games before then.
Ten Hag’s side title-chasing Arsenal on Sunday before playing Newcastle and Brighton in their search for European football next season.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
