Ten Hag and McTominay on Utd must-win UCL game with Bayern Munich (Full Presser)
Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag and midfielder Scott McTominay on their must-win UEFA Champions League game with Bayern Munich
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00:00 Good afternoon, welcome everyone to our press conference
00:11 for our Champions League game against Bayern Munich tomorrow night.
00:14 Scott McTominay, Eric Ten Hag, please identify who your question is for.
00:18 Shall we start with Simon?
00:20 Hi, Eric.
00:22 Hi, Simon.
00:24 You're obviously not in a great position going into your final group game,
00:29 what would the feeling around this club be if you can't qualify out of this group?
00:34 I don't know. What I know is I never think in a negative scenario,
00:42 we think positive.
00:44 So we know what to do, we have to win to stay in Europe, so it's all about that.
00:50 So we will prepare the team with that feeling and with that belief,
00:57 that we are able to do it, and I think we have shown in the last weeks
01:01 when we are at our best, then we can do it.
01:06 And Scott, the manager has mentioned about being at your best,
01:12 you played well against Chelsea, you clearly didn't play well at Newcastle,
01:16 you didn't play well against Bournemouth,
01:18 why is there such a big difference between the performances of the team?
01:23 Obviously, we know that, we know the inconsistencies which we have had,
01:27 we're not naive to that.
01:29 I feel like for us, we spoke about it as a group with the coaching staff,
01:32 and for us, the schedule is relentless and we can't blame it on the backlog of
01:37 fixtures and stuff like that, but for us, we have to come together as a group
01:40 and figure out the reason why we are slightly inconsistent at this moment in time.
01:42 But as you say, the boys are honestly doing everything they can do to contribute
01:48 and give their best whenever they approach a pitch.
01:51 Hi, Eric.
01:52 Going into this season, going into the Champions League on the back of last season,
01:57 what were your ambitions for the competition?
01:59 Obviously not to go out in the group stages,
02:01 but did you believe you could go far in this competition, win the competition?
02:06 First, I don't think about winning the competition when you start the season,
02:14 it's first getting the position that you can win.
02:17 So now we have still the opportunity, it's not anymore in our hands,
02:23 but we want to stay in Europe and therefore we know what to do,
02:26 we have to win to stay in Europe.
02:28 Neil.
02:30 Scott, you've had a great revival of your own career here at Manchester United,
02:33 did you fear there was a moment where you might be leaving this club?
02:37 There's always speculation and different things surrounding every player at United
02:44 that you have to perform to stay at this football club,
02:46 and I've known that since I've been a young boy watching lots of senior pros come through,
02:51 and obviously academy players as well,
02:52 and for myself it was a case of just getting a head down and working.
02:56 There's not really too much else to say, to be honest, other than that.
02:59 What would you put down to your goal-scoring form,
03:03 and everything is the faith the manager has put in you, bringing you back into the team?
03:07 Of course, the faith of the manager has been a massive one for me,
03:10 you want to repay that as much as you possibly can in terms of when you do get minutes on the pitch,
03:15 that's the life of football, you're going to have ups and downs in your career,
03:18 it's not always sunshine and rainbows,
03:20 and for me I've always approached it that way, with a clear mind and a clear head,
03:23 whenever I do get the opportunity I want to take it and I want to show that I can do it,
03:27 and I'm there to help the team as well.
03:29 Eric, first of all, just wondering how the team's looking,
03:34 is there anyone returning or anyone unavailable?
03:36 It's a condensed programme, we have a training,
03:42 so at this moment I'm not sure about everyone who's available for tomorrow,
03:49 but a question mark is on Viktor Lindelof, if he can make it or not,
03:55 we have to wait and see until tomorrow, then we know.
04:00 You were saying you're not looking in a negative way towards the game,
04:04 but you're facing a side that hasn't lost a group stage game in the Champions League
04:07 since September 2017, you're coming off the back of the Bournemouth match,
04:12 what does give you hope?
04:14 It's our team. We are not consistent, clear,
04:19 but we also have very good performance and highs,
04:24 so if we get it, and we are in the right spirit,
04:28 then we are able to do it, and we are able to beat any opponent.
04:32 Just following on from that question, what gives you the belief, Eric,
04:39 that the team can win tomorrow and extend your stay in Europe?
04:42 Because the form hasn't been good, it's been 14 goals conceded, three defeats,
04:45 what gives you the belief, what have you seen that gives you the belief
04:48 that the team can go ahead and do that tomorrow night?
04:50 As I said, the game against Chelsea, the game against Everton,
04:57 even the game against Galatasaray, I know this team can perform at really high levels,
05:02 and it's not that we did it three months ago, no, we did it last week.
05:07 So I know we can do it, and when we have the right mood, the right spirit,
05:13 it starts with the right attitude, if everyone is ready for it, we are able to do it.
05:17 Is the biggest concern for you that you don't know which of your teams is going to turn up?
05:21 Because you have a great performance against Chelsea,
05:23 then you have what happened at the weekend,
05:25 is that the most frustrating thing for you as a manager,
05:27 you don't know which Manchester United is going to turn up?
05:29 It's not about getting frustrated about it, we have to work about it.
05:33 So that's my responsibility, to set the team, to prepare the team,
05:39 that they improve on that fact.
05:42 I will give everything and I know my players do as well.
05:45 Paul, let's talk about belief, how do you inject that belief into your players?
05:51 What kind of methods do you employ to give them that?
05:54 We have to show them the clips from Chelsea, how we can play.
05:59 If we do that, if we are there all on one page, stick together,
06:05 we have a good plan, then we go.
06:11 As I said, we can beat any opponent.
06:14 Scott, the manager spoke after Galatasaray and this season
06:21 about how the game management has got to be better at times.
06:25 What do you put the loss of control down to?
06:29 Is it a lapse of concentration, not understanding the instructions?
06:33 Why do you lose control in games so quickly and have these implosions?
06:39 As you can see in the Premier League, every team is super athletic,
06:43 you go and play in the Champions League, every team can run.
06:45 For us, a lot of the time we need to match that and more whenever you're playing for this football club.
06:50 That's been a clear message for all those players on the pitch when we are playing,
06:54 we need to get together sometimes.
06:56 You can't do too much whenever it's on the sidelines, it needs to come from the players.
07:00 We need to stick together while we are on the pitch as well.
07:02 As you say, with the ideas we've had and sometimes the way we've played, it's been amazing.
07:06 It's finding that consistency and that balance where we can continue to do that on a regular basis with high energy levels.
07:12 Like the manager says, when you play against Chelsea like that, we can do good things.
07:16 In the first game against Bayern, there were a lot of injuries to contend with,
07:22 but the team responded quite strongly to conceding goals and it was quite a tight end to the game.
07:27 Do you take encouragement from that performance going into the game tomorrow night?
07:31 Yeah, of course. There were stages in the game and we played very good.
07:38 It was head-to-head in that game for a long time.
07:46 We made some mistakes, which were absolutely avoidable.
07:54 One thing is sure, when you play against Bayern Munich, you have to play your best.
07:59 They have a good team and very good, individual players.
08:03 But as I say, Chelsea had also amazing players and we went head-to-head to them.
08:11 We dominated them, so I think we can do it against Bayern as well.
08:16 Hi, Eric, hi, Scott, for both of you.
08:20 The atmosphere was very loud in Munich, it was bouncing in Copenhagen,
08:24 it was brilliant in Istanbul.
08:26 What do you two want from Manchester United fans tomorrow night at Old Trafford?
08:30 It's clear. I think Old Trafford is not a nice place to come for an opponent.
08:38 We are aware of it, it starts with us, but of course you hope that the fans are together.
08:46 As long as I'm here, I always have the feeling we are absolutely together.
08:51 There's a very strong bond between the team and the fans.
08:54 They're always behind us, even when we have big setbacks.
08:58 They're staying behind us, they're supporting us, so we are very happy with that.
09:04 But we have to take the responsibility, it starts with us, we have to energise them.
09:09 Hi, Eric. You said on Saturday that you didn't think the squad was good enough to be consistent,
09:15 but in the second half of last season you were consistent enough to finish third,
09:18 you reached two cup finals.
09:20 What has the biggest change been from then to now to make you say on Saturday
09:23 that you didn't think you were good enough to be consistent at the moment?
09:26 We had a regular team, not so many changes.
09:33 I think especially in our back line, we had a long time.
09:38 We had a regular formation and that helps you.
09:43 Then you get the routines in, so we have to wait for that.
09:49 Until that moment, we have to deal with it, as every team has to deal with it.
09:55 It's not only us, but I'm sure when we get back to regular base, we will play better.
10:03 You have a better opportunity to win games,
10:06 and you have a better chance that you are consistent.
10:11 Is it simply a personnel issue rather than a mentality issue?
10:14 I think first of all, it's personal.
10:21 I'm aware, and that's my job.
10:25 We have to be really tough if you want to do it every third day.
10:30 But we are not the only team.
10:33 I see the inconsistency from other teams in this period in the Premier League.
10:38 I think players are not robots, but the team who can deal with it the best
10:44 will come the most far.
10:48 Last question, Fred.
10:51 Since you've been part of the first team, you have seen many players come and go,
10:55 Jose, Ole, Rangnick.
10:58 What's the shared responsibility of the players to stop this endless cycle?
11:04 It's the players' responsibility, first and foremost.
11:09 Players know that as well, we've had many amazing players over the time.
11:13 I feel like we're at a stage where we've got big characters in the dressing room,
11:16 where it's not just a case of some of the other managers,
11:20 where it's been a little bit toxic at times.
11:23 The boys are firmly behind the manager, and that's the be-all and end-all.
11:26 I've said that in many other interviews, and that's the way it will remain to stay.
11:29 We've got amazing coaching staff as well.
11:32 People can get lost in translation and get carried away with what the players think
11:36 and what they say behind closed doors.
11:38 We just want to do well for the football club, and that's as simple as that.
11:41 Thank you very much.
11:43 Thank you.
11:45 Congratulations.
11:47 (cross-talk)