Neville, Keane, Rooney: How 10 Man Utd legends rate Erik ten Hag's performance | OneFootball

Erik ten Hag has worked wonders at Manchester United since taking over in the summer.

The Dutchman took over a flailing club, unsure of its identity and lacking any direction, and has turned into a real European force in less than a year.

Many would have deemed it near impossible but Ten Hag has pulled it off. Any critics have been silenced.

From this point, Ten Hag is the new Godfather at Old Trafford.

Understandably, praise has been flooding in for the boss from every direction. Players, fans and the media alike have all been won over.

But what do United's biggest legends think? The folks over at PlanetFootball had the interesting idea of devising an article that contained quotes from what club icons have said about Ten Hag.

We've compiled our own summary for you to review below.

Gary Neville:

Neville isn't shy of speaking his truth when it comes to matters at United. He often criticises the club owners, the Glazer family, but is clearly an enormous fan of the boss.

“I’m mesmerised by the job Ten Hag has done. If you’d have said to me four months ago this is where Man Utd will be, I’d have said no chance,” he told the Gary Neville podcast following United's victory over rivals Man City.

"But he knows what he wants to do, he’s willing to take risks, he’s his own man. He’s done a very, very, very good job. An outstanding job.”

Rio Ferdinand:

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ferdinand said: “You’re seeing players growing in confidence. These were a bunch of players that were shot to pieces and he (Ten Hag) has had to build not only footballers but men back up again.”

Owen Hargreaves:

“The thing that’s impressed me the most is it feels like everything’s changed,” said the ex-United midfielder, who was on punditry duty for the club's triumph over Barcelona.

“The atmosphere’s changed. The performances on the pitch has changed. The relationship with the manager coming out to join us. Everything feels so different, so much more positive.

“Credit to Erik ten Hag, he’s transformed this football club.”

Roy Keane:

The notoriously difficult to impress Keane believes Ten Hag has been a "good fit" for the club.

Per the Manchester Evening News, the Irishman said: "It was the right time for him to come in last summer, obviously with the problems last year with the manager, the temporary manager leaving, and he got money to spend.

"That's why it's good I think he sent a good message with the starting XI [vs Reading]; they've got momentum and he wants to keep that going. Obviously they're still involved in four competitions, so it's important to keep that momentum going."

Paul Scholes:

Scholes spoke of the importance of partnerships in United's team, something they now have which, before Ten Hag, hadn't been the case.

"I think when we were successful in teams there were partnerships all over the football pitch, and for too many years this team has been a little bit disjointed, it's been a little bit like individuals at times."

Paul Ince:

Former United hardman, Ince, was Reading boss when his side were eliminated from the FA Cup at the hands of Ten Hag's United.

He was complementary of the Dutchman in his post-match press conference: “I think under Ten Hag, in such a short space of time, he’s lifted the whole club.

“He seems to have really got the club in the right position it should be to go forward, and it’s his way, it looks like he’s doing all the things. They all look like they’re all pulling together. I’m pleased, I’m really pleased as a [former] Man United player to see hopefully the future looking bright.

“I’m definitely, definitely pleased to see where United are going at this moment in time.”

Peter Schmeichel:

Meanwhile, Peter Schmeichel believes United finally have a manager in the mould of Sir Alex Ferguson, a decade on from the Scotsman leaving the club.

"It has taken 10 years to get to this point,' for me this season anything can really happen," the Dane told BBC Radio 5 Live, per the Daily Mail.

"Manchester United can win everything or nothing, but we have seen the progress. Every situation has been dealt with properly by Erik ten Hag, like a good manager should.

Robin van Persie:

Ten Hag's compatriot, Van Persie believes that something special is brewing at Old Trafford under Ten Hag and that "the whole energy around the club feels different".

Wayne Rooney:

Speaking to TalkSport in November, Rooney said, per PlanetFootball: “He’s come in and stamped his authority on the team, and for the first time in about two or three years, I’m starting to see an identity with Manchester United which I haven’t seen in the last two of three years.

“He’s shown his strength and his character with how he dealt with Cristiano at times with the stuff he’s been up to. He’s the right man for the job. I think it will take time, but it’s a real step in the right direction to finish in that top four and get Champions League football again.”

Denis Irwin:

Irwin spoke of Ten Hag's desire to win every trophy and praised his team selection which, Irwin felt reflected his ambition.

“You see from the Carabao [Cup] and the Europa League, the manager doesn’t make that many changes and I’m delighted with that because I think winning a trophy or trying to win a trophy is so important.

“You just get that winning feeling in the squad, that winning mentality, so it’s vital that we do compete in cup competitions. We’ve seen from the manager this year that he’s very intent on winning one of them.”