Ex-Man Utd star gives honest Erik ten Hag assessment after private talks forced exit

Mikel Arteta reviews the Manchester United game Former Manchester United midfielder James Garner has opened up on what Erik ten Hag is like as a manager and his frank conversation with the Dutchman that led him to leave Old Trafford. Garner made the tough decision to part ways with his boyhood club last summer for Everton after spending the previous two seasons on loan at Watford and Nottingham Forest. Despite impressing in both spells and playing a major role in helping Nottingham Forest gain promotion to the Premier League Garner would end up securing a move to Everton after Ten Hag revealed he wouldn’t factor into his plans. “Ten Hag is a very approachable guy but is very strict,” Garner told the BBC. “He takes no-one bending the rules. He will say it how it is and will punish people if they have done the wrong things. “My talk with him was easy. I asked him plain and simple whether I was going to be in the squad or if he saw me playing a part. I felt the conversation did not go as well as I wanted and I made the decision to move.” Erik ten Hag is ‘strict’ but ‘very approachable’ On deadline day last summer, Garner joined the Toffees for £9million on a four-year deal. The decision received a considerable amount of backlash from Red Devils fans, who felt the youngster had something to give to the first team. Last season, Garner featured 16 times for Everton in the Premier League but his campaign was derailed by a troublesome back injury that kept him out for 14 games. Towards the back end of the 2022/2023 campaign, he was deployed as a makeshift right-back due to Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson being sidelined by injuries of their own and never truly got a chance to make a meaningful impact for his new side. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info James Garner joined Everton in 2022 for £9m Trending