It is early days but Erik ten Hag is improving Man United but improvement is likely to be gradual this season unless he gets more backing.
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Erik ten Hag was still in the air, somewhere over the Arabian Sea in the wee hours of Monday morning, when he accessed the airline WiFi and emailed those present on the Manchester United tour, conveying his gratitude for their engagement the last two weeks.
Ten Hag expressed empathy with those who had spent nearly three weeks away from their family and loved ones. United staff encountered that warm side to Ten Hag during their Sunday off in Melbourne.
The new United manager has the human touch and those at the club will hope he has the Midas touch. United have two more friendlies to play this weekend but it has been a propitious pre-season of four games, three wins, one draw and 13 goals.
Also read: United weighing up Sesko move
Everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet: the players have welcomed Ten Hag's discipline and punctual timekeeping. It was telling that when the punitive push-ups were ordered in training at the WACA the only player who refused to participate was Aaron Wan-Bissaka, deemed surplus months ago.
Any new manager needs time and the best method to buy time is to get the team playing watchable football. One of the few guarantees with Ten Hag is United would play progressively and they did so from Bangkok to Perth, via Melbourne. The players, encumbered by dismal coaching and certain selfish teammates last season, have adapted commendably.
"We needed more culture, a better culture of football, of just thinking about football, nothing else," David de Gea told us in Perth. "With a new manager, we are in a good way. For sure, he is very focused on football and [that is] what we need and the players feel the same, so I have good feelings."
The squad numbers assigned to Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen are logical and also meaningful: United have replaced two brand-obsessives with two selfless characters thrilled to be at United. Jose Mourinho managed Eriksen for only two months at Tottenham as he wound down his contract but privately marvelled at his professionalism.
"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," Fernandes stressed. "I think that's really important because if everyone is on time and someone comes late, he should be punished.
"And I think that's really good that he's doing that and for me amazing because I like to be on time, so I won't have problems with that.
Tyrell Malacia has reinforced possibly the only outfield area that was not crying out for an addition but he is keeping Luke Shaw, forever prone to dithering, on his heels. Both donned blue - the designated colour for starters - in training at the WACA.
Jadon Sancho boarded United's flight at Perth Airport as their best player on tour, with Anthony Martial not far behind. Diogo Dalot collaborated productively with Sancho, Marcus Rashford warmed up in the colder climes of Australia, Bruno Fernandes adopted a patient approach aligned with Ten Hag's style, Fred continues to transcend managers and Harry Maguire overcame erring against Melbourne Victory to perform against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.
United's identity is modern and also respectful of their heritage. Academy graduates Zidane Iqbal and Charlie Savage acquitted themselves impressively in United's friendlies, the former the breakout youngster on a tour James Garner, Hannibal Mejbri or Alejandro Garnacho intended to leave their calling card.
"We need to be proactive, not just the full-back - everyone," Dalot said of Ten Hag's instructions. "Read the game, be always on our toes. Mentally, we have to be connected all the time and hopefully we can improve a little bit more as well and go to the season.
"We need to be ready for that, to be ready to hear things that maybe we don’t want to hear, but I think everything is for the greater good of the team and that’s the most important thing."
An unbeaten tour and silverware (Ten Hag looked suitably unimpressed to hold the Century Cup in Bangkok) is an identical summer to United's previous Dutch manager in 2014. Louis van Gaal's official tenure then started with a crushing home defeat by Swansea.
United's team that day included Tyler Blackett and Phil Jones in defence and Jesse Lingard at wing-back on his full debut. Seven of the matchday squad left either on loan or permanently before February.
Even with the squad largely responsible for United's worst season in nearly 50 years, it is nigh-on impossible for Ten Hag to start a more underwhelming side against Brighton on Sunday week. Most of the team already picks itself: De Gea, Dalot, Maguire, Fred, Fernandes, Sancho, Rashford, Martial.
This weekend could determine if Martinez goes straight into the XI but Donny van de Beek is approaching August in a more dire state than 12 months ago, his performance against Villa as out of tune as Diana Ross at Glastonbury. Scott McTominay has the edge.
United's squad rebuild is still mixing the cement. There has not been one major sale (Andreas Pereira last played for United nearly two years ago) and it is remarkable none of United's three signings is a central midfielder. Ten Hag clarified Eriksen is a midfield addition but even United's own social media channels recognise him as a playmaker.
United seem destined to end the window without an out-and-out defensive midfielder, unthinkable when last season ended. It is a bolder approach than recruiting Dutch football affiliates and a test of Ten Hag's coaching clout. If United qualify for the Champions League without someone holding the fort it will be a tactical triumph.
In order to climb up the ladder, they need a midfielder, though. Specifically, Frenkie de Jong. United's pursuit has entered the 12th week and the risk of embarrassment is immense, especially after Richard Arnold and John Murtough were filmed in Barcelona. That was nearly three weeks ago.
If De Jong is eventually extradited to Manchester, it would be difficult to recall a new United signing under more pressure. Beyond the task of reviving the team as its fulcrum, everyone knows De Jong would rather not play for United.
Cristiano Ronaldo is back in Manchester and without an obvious exit route. Sir Alex Ferguson's presence at United's Carrington training complex on Monday coincided with Ronaldo's return as if he was about to intervene again to keep the Portuguese for one more year, just as he did in 2008. The reality is Ferguson attended a meeting of the football board, an impotent collection of ambassadors kept sweet on the payroll.
The Ronaldo issue could rumble on until the final days of the window and it would be remiss to dismiss him on account of United's potency on tour. Martial has been a flaky forward in his seven years at United and enjoyed two truly quality campaigns. He also thrives when there is no competition. Rashford scored once as a starter last term.
Beyond the attacking triumvirate Ten Hag settled on in Thailand and Australia, the only experienced forward available is Anthony Elanga. Amad, Facundo Pellistri and Tahith Chong have two Premier League starts between them and Amad lined up in both. Pellistri has never played for United and Chong's last official outing was in August 2020. The trio could be transferred before the transfer deadline.
United are in the market for one attacker, preferably two, with Benjamin Sesko now of interest after fellow Red Bull alumni Brian Brobbey joined Ajax permanently. One well-placed United source cast doubt on a move for the Ajax forward Antony amid his €80million valuation but the Brazilian remains of interest as the club approaches the final month of the window.
The squad is still obesely bloated. United hope they can negotiate outgoings nearer to the deadline, having accepted there is not a major market for overpaid, underperforming players on long contracts. Six defenders are available for transfer and other futures are as up in the air as Ten Hag was last week.