Harry Maguire bought an early style of André Onana’s fiery persona in preaseason. A move from the Manchester United centre-back had put Christian Eriksen in bother in opposition to Borussia Dortmund in Las Vegas. The error led to an opportunity for Sébastien Haller and after Onana had handled the shot, he instantly turned to berate Maguire, launching a tirade on the England defender, who was standing just a few yards away.
Onana was later criticised by former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher, who stated the rebuke was “excessive,” however Man United supervisor Erik ten Hag did not thoughts it in any respect. There’s confidence inside the membership that the robust character proven by their new No. 1 that day — a brand new signing demanding greater requirements from a senior participant — will assist him by way of what has been a troublesome begin to life at Previous Trafford.
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Maguire is not alone to find himself on the receiving finish of Onana’s wrath; throughout Internazionale’s Champions League tie with FC Porto final season, cameras caught him telling teammate Edin Dzeko to “shut up” earlier than Hakan Calhanoglu tried to de-escalate the scenario by placing his hand over Onana’s mouth.
United’s recruitment division had been impressed with Onana’s performances throughout Inter’s run to the Champions League ultimate, however when the seek for a goalkeeper to switch David de Gea was being mentioned with Ten Hag, it was Onana’s persona that set him other than different choices on the listing, together with David Raya and Diogo Costa. (It was the identical when Ten Hag argued to signal Lisandro MartÃnez and Casemiro a 12 months earlier.)
The finer particulars of the deal to carry Onana to Previous Trafford took longer than anticipated, and he was late to hitch the summer season tour of the US. He arrived on the crew lodge in rural New Jersey from JFK airport in a minivan with closely tinted home windows, and the workers despatched to greet him had been bowled over by his beaming smile and enthusiastic entrance regardless of a grueling day of journey.
Onana has endured a troublesome first few months, however Ten Hag and his workers stay hopeful they’ve chosen their new goalkeeper effectively and that his character will assist him cope with life underneath the microscope. Regardless of a sequence of errors and intense scrutiny since his £47.2 million transfer from Inter, the 27-year-old has remained a vocal member of the dressing room alongside Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, notably impressing his new teammates with the best way he owned as much as his error within the 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich in September.
After letting Leroy Sane’s weak shot squirm into the online, Onana apologised within the dressing room. As soon as Ten Hag had completed speaking — throughout which he advised the opposite gamers to recollect the angle proven by Onana in proudly owning his mistake — he additionally sought out the membership’s media crew to inform them it was his job to talk publicly to broadcasters. Onana spoke to 4 TV crews in the principle interview room on the Allianz Enviornment, and gave the identical honest apology every time earlier than being whisked off for one more spherical of questions on the identical matter.
What involved workers most about Onana’s efficiency in opposition to Bayern was not the error, however relatively how lengthy it took for him to recover from it. Sane’s objective got here within the twenty eighth minute, and coaches famous that it wasn’t till the beginning of the second half — greater than half-hour later — that he was again clapping and shouting directions from behind the defence.
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Ten Hag on Onana’s mistake: Do not make it larger than it’s
Manchester United’s Erik Ten Hag talks concerning the crew and Andre Onana’s performances after the 4-3 loss vs. Bayern Munich.
United are working with Onana to assist him higher cope with errors once they come in addition to on the technical aspect of his recreation, together with stabilising his toes extra shortly to assist with pictures aimed low and round his physique. It does not assist that he tends to get caught on his objective line when opponents are attacking, and coaches have reminded him to take up extra aggressive positions to make the goal smaller.
He is been delivered to United. primarily, due to his skill with the ball at his toes with UEFA’s technical report on the Champions League ultimate in opposition to Manchester Metropolis noting he “displayed the passing vary of a deep midfielder.” After eight Premier League video games final season, in keeping with ESPN Stats and Info Group, De Gea had accomplished 134 of his 218 passes (61.47), whereas Onana has reached 205 from 271 makes an attempt (75.65%), an indication that the Cameroon worldwide is making an attempt to assist Ten Hag’s aspect play differently.
There was additionally the misplaced move in opposition to Galatasaray that resulted in Casemiro being despatched off on the best way to a shock 3-2 house defeat, however Ten Hag is acutely aware that a few of the teething issues are right down to the remainder of the crew transitioning from one goalkeeper who was cautious in possession to a different who needs to take dangers.
Onana is so dedicated to creating certain he is successful at United that he is reluctant to depart for a month within the new 12 months if he is known as up by Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations. He advised Ten Hag throughout negotiations that he had no plans to return to worldwide soccer following his fallout with Cameroon coach Rigobert Tune through the World Cup in Qatar, however after stress from the Cameroon FA and the federal government, Onana agreed to play within the ultimate AFCON qualifier in opposition to Burundi in September.
There will probably be extra talks earlier than the AFCON match begins within the Ivory Coast in January, however there may be an acceptance at Man United that it’s totally troublesome for high-profile Cameroon footballers to show down the possibility to play in main competitions.
Turkey worldwide Altay Bayindir additionally joined United from Fenerbahce in the summertime because the understudy and is ready within the wings if Onana decides to go to the AFCON. Bayindir, 25, was signed forward of youthful options due to his expertise, and Ten Hag is open to creating a change in objective if Onana’s type does not enhance. Nonetheless, regardless of a shaky begin, United are backing Onana to show they had been proper to jettison De Gea, the first-choice goalkeeper at Previous Trafford for greater than a decade, and usher in a substitute with a special set of attributes.
Retired Man United star Gary Neville as soon as stated that, due to the stress and scrutiny, being United’s goalkeeper is “the toughest job in English soccer,” however Ten Hag believes he is discovered the best persona to take it on.