Man Utd coach explains why Jadon Sancho did not apologise in Erik ten Hag feud
Manchester United coach Benni McCarthy has claimed Jadon Sancho did not apologise over his feud with Erik ten Hag because that would have suggested the Dutchman’s criticism of his was correct.
Ten Hag questioned Sancho’s work rate early in the season, prompting a public response from Sancho, who took to social media to claim he had been made a „scapegoat“ for the team’s struggles.
Sancho was asked to apologise for his comments but refused to do so, leading to a lengthy exile before a January loan to Borussia Dortmund.
Offering an insight into the feud between Sancho and Ten Hag, McCarthy told 947 Joburg: „If you’re from the streets, no one wants to apologise,. You admit you are not training well, you are lazy, everything you are accused of. Jadon wasn’t going to have that.
„The manager has a strong character and just said that all he wants is an apology. Jadon thought that he had done nothing wrong. He didn’t see why he had to apologise. Sometimes you have to apologise, because a player will never win against a manager.
„I spoke to Jadon as a coach, as a mentor, as a friend, and as someone who grew up on the streets and knows the code. But Jadon just wasn’t seeing it. He said, ‚I ain’t apologising because if I do, I’m apologising for being lazy, always being late, not giving my best – that’s what I’m apologising for‘. Those were his reasons.
„I spoke to the manager and I said to him that, you know, the delicacy, and I think Jadon feels that if he apologises then he’s going to be classed as someone who doesn’t train hard, doesn’t work hard, that everything that was said against him was true.“
Sancho returned to Dortmund during the winter window and helped his side reach the upcoming Champions League final, but his future remains in the balance as the loan deal with United does not include a purchase clause.
Dortmund are known to keep Sancho but are reported to be prioritising a move for another loanee, Chelsea left-back Ian Maatsen.