Man Utd grant Erik ten Hag's request for new pre-match lounge at Old Trafford as Dutchman succeeds where Jose Mourinho & Louis van Gaal failed

Erik ten Hag has succeeded where Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal failed after Man Utd granted his request for a new pre-match lounge at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag wanted to revamp part of Old Trafford
United grant his request for new players' lounge
Mourinho among managers who didn't get this

WHAT HAPPENED? Manchester United boss Ten Hag wanted his players to have a specific space where they could relax before a game and the Dutchman could deliver his match instructions from inside the confines of Old Trafford. The Red Devils handed over one of their lounges last season as a temporary solution but now, according to The Athletic, the club revamped part of the ground over the summer at 'significant expense', and has taken over the hospitality area in the Sir Bobby Charlton stand. The Premier League giants reaped millions of pounds from this endeavour, through fans paying premium prices and corporate attendees, but now Ten Hag has got his way with this change.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: The report states the former Ajax manager did not want to stay with his squad in a Manchester hotel the night before games and felt traffic getting to Old Trafford, security concerns, and the food on offer might impact the players' performance. Ten Hag instructs his players to arrive at the stadium three and a half hours before kick-off so they are well prepared for a match. Incidentally, he has succeeded where former managers Jose Mourinho, Louis van Gaal, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer failed, as all three men saw requests for a new lounge denied when they were in charge.

AND WHAT'S MORE: This is a sign that United appear to be prioritising football requirements over the commercial side of the game. United's chief operating officer Collette Roche has had to work out how to replace millions in lost revenue from handing over the lounge, with off-site alternatives being part of the package for fans.

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