Erik ten Hag has showered Casemiro with praise for his role in helping Manchester United clean up their ‘mess’.
The Dutchman was appointed as the Red Devils’ new manager at the end of a turbulent 2021/22 season, with many expecting him to take time resolving the club’s various problems.
When United were soundly defeated by Brighton and Brentford in Ten Hag’s first two Premier League games, it appeared that the club was stuck in reverse.
“There was a lack of discipline and I don’t have to lie about it,” Ten Hag said of the state he found United in.
“Top players like structure, not only on the pitch, so you need some rules.
“I think it’s obvious in every organisation that when there are no rules or no discipline in taking the rules seriously, then you create a mess.
“That’s not only [the case] at a football club, but also in any industry. It was quite obvious because I could see on the pitch what was going on.”
Ten Hag has since earned a reputation as a strict disciplinarian, making the audacious decision to bench Cristiano Ronaldo earlier this season, and Marcus Rashford was even dropped from the starting lineup for a game after arriving late to a team meeting.
Summer signing Casemiro, who has raised standards on and off the field since joining from Real Madrid, has been one of their biggest success stories this season.
“Casemiro is such a leader and so important for us,” Ten Hag added.
“Not only with his performances and skills, like scoring goals with his headers, or linking up, or intercepting balls, but also his organisation, his mentality, the culture he projects. We are so happy that we signed him.
“When you go to recruitment in the summer, it was not only about signing players. We were looking for players with character, with personality. A lot of players in the world have great skills from a technical approach, or they can run really fast, but we were looking for players who have character, who have personality, who have leadership, who take responsibility, who are resilient. That is the type of player I was looking for after I analysed the squad.
“Casemiro has not surprised me – absolutely not. I knew what a magnificent player he was. Just look at his profile, all the cups he’s won, that’s not a coincidence. Like Rapha Varane, he has won five Champions Leagues, that’s not a coincidence.
“For me it’s always the same, you have players who win, and who win always, and players who lose and are always losing.
“You have to do your research and find the type who will win and who are cooperative and humble in the dressing room but when on the pitch they take responsibility.”
