CALLING DR TEN HAG...

United boss admits: Rangnick was right about open heart surgery... but we're making good progress under Jim

- STEVE BATES

ERIK TEN HAG has laid bare the full extent of Manchester United's collapse from being a super-power to a dysfunctional club that has lost its way.

The Dutch boss also said former interim manager Ralf Rangnick (below) was spot on when he claimed United were in such a bad way they needed open heart surgery.

And he recalled that former United boss Louis van Gaal advised him NOT to take the job.

But the 52-year-old former Ajax coach believes the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe as minority shareholder and top administrators like Dan Ashworth is having an impact.

Ten Hag said: "Rangnick was absolutely right. We have been working very hard at it but what he said was thorough and very true complex surgery is needed here. I knew when I started it was going to be a tough job.

"And there were a lot of people who advised me against it, yes, including Louis van Gaal. So when I arrived I wasn't shocked. But the culture, the mentality was really not good.