Steve McLaren explains why Man Utd star was in disbelief after meeting Erik ten Hag

Newly appointed Jamaica boss Steve McLaren left Manchester United in the summer to dive back into his first managerial experience since being sacked as QPR manager in 2019.

McLaren spent three seasons back at Old Trafford as assistant manager, with Erik ten Hag bringing the former England manager in as he wanted someone familiar with the club as he arrived from Ajax.

Previously, it was Ten Hag that worked under McLaren at FC Twente, a side United face on Wednesday night to kickstart their Europa League campaign.

Ten Hag had brought in Casemiro from Real Madrid in his first summer in charge of United, and McLaren claims that Casemiro was in disbelief after working with the Dutch coach .

Although the Brazil international had worked with Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane in his nine-years at the Santiago Bernabeu, McLaren feels Ten Hag’s tactical attention to detail had taken Casemiro back.

He said: “Casemiro couldn’t believe the detail and the tactical knowledge that he [Ten Hag] had. He [Casemiro] thought he had seen it all at Real Madrid.”

Considering Casemiro had won five Champions League medals and three La Liga titles in the Spanish capital, we think he may have actually seen it all at Real Madrid, especially considering he has only won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup at United.

McLaren added: “That’s what I valued in that first year at Twente. Erik helped me bed into the club. Every session planned, every drinks’ break. Meticulous. [Even down to] What you had to wear. Socks up or down.”

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McLaren was let go of by the new hierarchy at Old Trafford, along with Mitchell van der Gaag and Benni McCarthy in a coaching restructure which saw former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy return back to the club.

INEOS, who took over sporting control at Old Trafford also added Dutchman Rene Hake and Swede Andreas Georgson to work on United’s eighth placed finish last season.

McLaren continued: “Erik’s a wonderful tactician. He can see things happening on the field that others can’t.

“Every one of those players will say they have learned so much. Don’t get me wrong, there has been a thousand meetings but they have learned from him. And so have I.”

As manager of Jamaica, McLaren will have the likes of Leon Bailey, Michail Antonio, Demarai Gray and Ethan Pinnock to choose from: all players with vast Premier League experience, but if last season at United is anything to go by, look away Jamaica fans.