Ten Hag has gone too far with strict new rules on Man United players, says ex-star

Erik ten Hag has gone too far with strict new rules on Manchester United players, insists former Premier League star Gabby Agbonlahor.

The new Man United boss reportedly has ‘Five Commandments’ that every player will have to follow to stay in his good books.

Ten Hag has banned players from drinking alcohol, banned personal chefs, warned any late players will be dropped, has insisted on regular body mass index checks and told unhappy players to come to him directly with their issues, rather than their agents.

That final rule is said to prevent the dressing room leaks that have plagued the club over the last few seasons – which Gary Neville previously branded ‘disgusting’.

But Agbonlahor believes these rules are ‘overkill’ and unnecessary, because most of the squad will abide by them anyway.

“The players don’t [drink anymore], they’ll maybe have now a glass of red with dinner, maybe on the weekend or something,” the former Aston Villa striker told talkSPORT Breakfast.

“The rules Ten Hag is giving are normal rules. Players will always get weighed once or twice a week. That’s normal to keep tabs on what you eat. 

“With the drinking, the players don’t do it anyway, so when he’s come in and given out these rules, the players are probably thinking, ‘We do this anyway, gaffer, it’s nothing new to us’.

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“I feel like that’s overkill, [with the ban on] personal chefs, they’re going to cook them healthy food,” he added. 

“Maybe just tell them these are the sort of foods you’ve got to eat.

“I think he’s overdoing it a bit now because players are going to have personal chefs. They can cook healthy food, they know what foods to feed players, so why would they need to take food from the training ground?”

On Ten Hag’s rule about information being leaked to agents, Agbonlahor added: “That has been a problem at Manchester United recently, a lot of things have been leaked from the changing room, but how is he going to find out who it is? 

“I remember Gary Neville said last season that he knew who was leaking stuff but didn’t reveal it, so made me Ten Hag knows and has spoken to that person, but that shouldn’t be something that happens. 

“There were so many fights at Aston Villa, punch-ups on the training ground, that no one ever found out about, no one told anyone. That’s how it should be.”