Alejandro Garnacho wasn’t the only Manchester United player caught out by Erik ten Hag’s new rules on the club’s preseason tour of Thailand and Australia. The manager’s no-nonsense approach to squad discipline — in contrast to the way Ralf Rangnick had run things as interim boss last season — took a bit of getting used to and the first week of the summer, spent in Bangkok and Melbourne, was a learning curve for even the most experienced campaigners.
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Garnacho, on his first trip with the first team, missed a couple of team meetings and, despite sympathy that he was suffering from severe jet lag, was reprimanded by Ten Hag and his staff. It’s meant the 18-year-old has had to wait for his chance this season but after impressing in training since the team’s return to Manchester, he’s started three of United’s last four games. It was Ten Hag and Bruno Fernandes who lifted the lid on Garnacho’s struggles this summer, suggesting that it’s only now that the forward is ready to play regular first-team football.
“I was not happy with him [in early weeks of the season] but the last weeks I was happy with him, a better attitude, more resilience,” Ten Hag said after handing Garnacho his full debut in the 3-0 win over FC Sheriff in the Europa League. “He’s developing very well. I hope he can keep that attitude like now. When he is reliable, you see he is a threat, he can create, he can give final passes and he can score goals, so it’s a good process.”
Fernandes, speaking after Garnacho had scored his first senior goal in the 1-0 win over Real Sociedad, went further and hinted the teenager has needed to re-focus.
“He was not at his best at the beginning of the season,” said Fernandes. “On the tour he didn’t have the best attitude that he should have had, and that’s why he didn’t get his chances until now. He’s getting his chances because he’s training better, having a different attitude and deserving his chances.
“He didn’t get his chances before because he was not good enough in training and not good enough mentality-wise. He’s changed that, that’s why he’s getting chances. Everyone is really happy for him and pleased with his goal. He’s still really young, he’s doing really well.”
