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Wayne Rooney believes Manchester United’s lack of a British core in the dressing room is not helping Erik ten Hag.
The United manager is already under heavy pressure following the team’s worst start to a Premier League campaign after seven games.
United have registered just two wins in the Premier League so far, while Ten Hag continues to face criticism over his side’s lack of consistent playing style.
And Rooney feels the players in United’s dressing room are unable to ‘take control’ when results and performances slump.
‘I think for everyone who wants Manchester United to do well, it’s been frustrating,’ Rooney told talkSPORT.
‘Manchester United are 14th in the Premier League, it’s not where they want to be. I think what United have done in the last few years, they’ve changed the managers and they’ve tried to go with a new manager and try and rebuild but whatever one they’ve brought in hasn’t quite worked.
‘Erik ten Hag, he’s an experienced manager, I think… well I know he’s trying extremely hard to get it right.
‘I think the culture of the football club is, we’ve seen a lot of players who are coming in, a lot of foreign players. I think Manchester United’s identity was always a good core of British players and I think that’s maybe missing a little bit, so players who can control the dressing room and help the manager out when they’re going through a difficult period.
‘So I think that’s a big change, if you like, from what I’ve seen over the last few years, but we hope Ten Hag can turn it around and get them back challenging.’
Ten Hag has stressed that he was won two trophies during his time at United – the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup last season – but Rooney insists the focus for the team should be their Premier League form.
‘I think your season is the Premier League,’ Rooney said.
‘That’s what we always looked at. Then you had the FA Cup, the Champions League, the League Cup.
‘But there’s no better feeling than winning the Premier League. That’s what you’re working all season for. Cups, you can win, which is great. It’s a great feeling, great for the fans, but as a fan, you want to see United consistently challenging.
‘Liverpool went through a period of 30 years without winning the league. I think United have gone quite a few years now without doing that.
‘So it’s important that you don’t keep letting that carry on and slide and then end up happy with winning the League Cup or FA Cup.
‘Manchester United is bigger than that, it’s such a huge football club and in my opinion, has to be challenging every year.’
Asked how far United are from winning the Premier League, Rooney replied: ‘Yeah, a long way away at the minute.
‘It depends what happens over the next year or two. I think bringing the new owners in, Jim Ratcliffe and Dan Ashworth, they’ve got a good group of people in there, I believe.
‘I think, slowly but surely, there’s changes happening at the football club. I was there last week and seeing the changes happening at the training ground.
‘You’re seeing small changes which eventually help the football club and you hope they get it right and I think recruitment is massive and they’ve brought some good men in to help with that.’
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