Are you ready, lads? Erik ten Hag ‘to kickstart pre-season with SAS-style “HELL week” at Carrington’, as he aims to turn his Man United side into title contenders
- Man United are set to start their pre-season training at the beginning of July
- Erik ten Hag is preparing a brutal week of training for his players at Carrington
- He wants to get his squad into peak condition so they can launch a title bid
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is reportedly preparing a brutal start to pre-season for his players next month.
United’s stars are currently enjoying some much-needed downtime after a long season that stretched across 10 months and included a World Cup in Qatar at the end of last year.
But those who did not play for their national teams this month will report for pre-season on July 3, and Ten Hag is set to waste no time in putting them through their paces.
According to The Sun, players will be tested as soon as they arrive at Carrington, and staff are already predicting that it will be an SAS-style “hell week” for all involved.
A source told The Sun: ‘Last summer Erik had players doing press-ups and other fitness forfeits to try and build spirit.
Erik ten Hag is set to put his Man United players through a ‘hell week’ at the start of pre-season
The United squad can expect a brutal first week that will include four days of double sessions
‘This time it sounds like some might actually have their spirits broken!’
Ten Hag’s side played 62 matches last term after making two cup finals and the Europa League quarter-finals.
They appeared to run out of steam at times during the campaign, but Ten Hag is determined to ensure that isn’t the case this time around and is expected to set up four days of double sessions in the opening week of pre-season.
He also wants to make sure United are not caught cold like last term, when they lost their opening two games against Brighton and Brentford.
The Dutchman believes the Red Devils can challenge for the title in 2023-24, but is aware they cannot afford another slow start.
One player who is likely to be involved from the start of pre-season is World Cup winner Lisandro Martinez.
The Argentine defender missed the final two months of last season after suffering a fractured metatarsal, but he has posted a video of himself running and declared he is ‘back to 100 per cent’.
Ten Hag could soon put that to test by pushing him to his limits in pre-season as he aims to get his United squad into the shape of their lives ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.
Lisandro Martinez is set to be back for pre-season after recovering from a broken foot
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