Erik ten Hag has admitted to not knowing if he will ever select Jadon Sancho to play for Manchester United again.
Sancho is training away from the first-team squad after refusing to apologise for claiming the manager did not tell the truth regarding why the forward was not in the match-day squad for the 3-1 loss at Arsenal on 3 September. Ten Hag said Sancho had not trained to the requisite standard in the buildup to the trip.
Sancho is not being considered for Saturday’s visit of Brighton and Ten Hag was asked if he would consider playing the 23-year-old for United again.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I am sitting here. Tomorrow [Saturday] we have a big game, we are going into a new block of games, many games in a condensed programme. I will focus on that.”
Last season Ten Hag supported Sancho during a three-month mid-season break he required to address physical and mental challenges. It was put to the manager that after this the player had let him down by calling him a liar and was therefore the type of character detrimental to the team ethic Ten Hag is trying to build.
“Everyone can make their opinion about that,” he said. “But he is not available, so he can’t contribute to our performance and our result, so I block it.”
Ten Hag was asked why he offered the explanation for Sancho’s absence at Arsenal. “I am always honest. You have to keep things inside [the club], but you can’t. When I am asked the question, I will be honest.”
He added: “Strict lines is the point, is what the club asked me for because there was no good culture before last season – so to set some good standards, that is what I did,” he said. “That is my job, to control the standards.”
Ten Hag hinted that Sancho’s conduct was not his first contravention. “It has never been when someone makes one mistake,” the Dutch coach said. “It is a whole process before you come to a certain outcome about strict lines. If staff, players or whoever, if there is a structure to cross lines you have to be strong, absolutely.”
