Ten Hag wants to make his own history at Man Utd
"It's a trophy and it's only February, but it shows we're on the right track," said Ten Hag after the 2-0 win over Newcastle in the League Cup final on February 26. "This should be an inspiration to keep going and be happy for 24 hours. But we must not be satisfied because satisfaction leads to laziness, and then you can't win titles."
At Wembley, Newcastle got off to a good start, but Man Utd took the better chance to decide the final at the end of the first half. In the 33rd minute, Luke Shaw took a free kick to let Casemiro hit the top of the corner to open the score. Five minutes later, Wout Weghorst poked a gap to let Marcus Rashford escape, shot from a tight angle to Sven Botman's feet and changed direction, leaving goalkeeper Loris Karius unstoppable.
Man Utd could have won more if Bruno Fernandes took advantage of the opportunity to face the end of the game. But a 2-0 result was enough for Ten Hag to bring Man Utd his first title since 2017 - the Europa League title under Jose Mourinho - in his first season at Old Trafford.
After referee David Coote blew the final whistle, Ten Hag, center-back Lisandro Martinez and midfielder Antony danced their hips in a corner of the stands, then laughed and hugged each other. "You have to celebrate. This is not an ordinary day, when Man Utd have won the title and this title means a lot," said the Dutch coach. "We have to celebrate, then stay focused for the rest of the way. I hope Man Utd can do more in the future. For that to happen, we have to invest and make sacrifices every day. to win more titles."
The 53-year-old coach also said the League Cup trophy explained his decision to leave a successful Ajax to lead Man Utd about ten months ago. "Maybe it's a risk, but I love Man Utd," Ten Hag expressed. "So when we saw this shirt, the love of the fans, the Old Trafford pitch, the legacy of Alex Ferguson, the stars who played here, we wanted to do the same thing, we wanted to make our history. And when there's an opportunity like that, I think Man Utd is the right club and I want to be a part of it."
Ten Hag also affirmed that winning the League Cup is just the beginning. He said: "We are still restoring Man Utd and getting back to where it was - winning trophies. At this club there is always passion and desire to bring back titles, because that's what it is. what speaks of Man Utd".
On March 1, Man Utd received West Ham in the fifth round of the FA Cup and then marched to Liverpool's stadium to play round 26 of the Premier League on March 5.
