Man United coach Benni McCarthy explains why Jadon Sancho has still not apologised to Erik ten Hag as he lifts lid on feud which saw winger sent on loan to Dortmund
- Benni McCarthy has revealed why Jadon Sancho has not apologized to Ten Hag
- Ten Hag excluded Sancho from his selection after the two publicly argued last year
- CHRIS SUTTON weighs in on who won the battle between Ian Ladyman and Erik ten Hag – Listen to the podcast It’s All Kicking Off
Jadon Sancho refused to apologize to Erik ten Hag over their row as the Manchester United outcast believed it would have meant admitting he was lazy and unprofessional.
United forwards coach Benni McCarthy has lifted the lid on the failure that led to Sancho being left out of United and sent back to Borussia Dortmund in January.
Sancho will have the last laugh on Saturday evening when he plays for Dortmund against Real Madrid in the Champions League final at Wembley, a week after Ten Hag won the FA Cup there in what could be his last game in charge.
In September, Sancho claimed he had been made a scapegoat in a social media post and effectively branded Ten Hag a liar over his reasons for leaving the player out of his Arsenal squad for not training hard enough.
Ten Hag demanded an apology and when Sancho refused, United’s £73m winger was left to train and eat alone at Carrington for the next four months.
Jadon Sancho refused to apologize to Erik ten Hag because he didn’t want to admit he was lazy, claims Benni McCarthy
Manchester United striker McCarthy spoke to Sancho as ‘coach, mentor and friend’
McCarthy has described how he tried to mediate, but quickly realized that Sancho’s background meant he would never relent.
“When you come off the street, no one wants to apologize,” McCarthy said. ‘You admit that you don’t train properly, you are lazy, you are accused of everything. Jadon wouldn’t have that.
‘The manager has a strong character and just said he just wants an apology. Jadon thought he had done nothing wrong. He didn’t understand why he had to apologize. Sometimes you have to apologize because a player will never beat 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 didn’t see it. He said: “I don’t apologize because if I do, I apologize for being lazy, always being late, not trying my best – that’s what I apologize 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 apologizes, he will be classified as someone who doesn’t train hard, doesn’t work hard, all that does what was told to him was true.”
Speaking to South African radio station 947 Joburg, McCarthy revealed that his contract expires in a few weeks and he is in limbo at United as Ten Hag’s future hangs in the balance.
It is understood United have not yet spoken to McCarthy, but the 46-year-old former Blackburn and West Ham striker wants to remain in Europe and coach when he leaves Old Trafford.
McCarthy says Sancho wouldn’t back down because of his background
Sancho has breathed new life into Borussia Dortmund, who have reached the Champions League final
“I don’t know if I’ll stay or leave,” he added. ‘I learned a lot at Man United working with Erik, he is one of the smartest managers I have known.
‘My contract expires in June. If the club wants me to continue in this role, I would be grateful. That would be great. I love my role, I love working for Manchester United, but the desire to be a manager, to be in charge, is still there.”
