Erik ten Hag has impressed Manchester United fans in so many ways this season, both on and off the pitch, but it is his relationship with the players that has captured Jay Shetty’s attention.

The lifelong Red and former monk also happens to be a best-selling author, podcaster and purpose coach who specialises in mindset. So when he visited Old Trafford earlier this year, we were fascinated to get his professional take on our manager’s transformative impact on the club. 

As Shetty explained, the Dutchman’s philosophy and leadership style has penetrated its way through the squad, creating a culture that will hopefully allow us to achieve further success in the future.    

“I think it’s phenomenal,” Jay told us. “I mean, when I look at the collective spirit, I feel like we’re playing as a team. I feel like everyone’s playing for each other. I feel like everyone’s celebrating every single goal. Everyone’s carrying each other when we’re down. I feel like when we’re down, it feels like a blip rather than, ‘oh gosh, we’re going in the wrong direction again.’ 

“I mean, the collective spirit and the mindset has just been phenomenal to watch, even all the way through to Marcus Rashford’s celebration. You know, just seeing that energy, it’s all about mindset. And I’m glad that we have that. Finally. I think it’s taken a while, but it’s been fantastic to watch.”

Expanding on his point, Shetty pointed to the collective continually being accountable: “I think that is what is really beautiful to see, that you feel like they’re taking responsibility as a club. There’s accountability from every single person. And I think that applies to every player that’s on the pitch.

“Even to the manager. I mean, whether we win or we lose, he’s turning up for the interview, he’s there at pitchside, ready to talk about what went wrong, what went right, taking accountability for mistakes. I think that kind of culture really sets the standard of ‘we’re here as a team, we’re here together, we win and we lose together and we get through tough times together.’

“And I think that togetherness is really inspiring. I feel really excited for the club right now, to see that, because that’s not easy to achieve. It’s actually really tough. 

“I’ve been talking to staff behind the scenes right now and they’re feeling it as well. They’re feeling the togetherness. When you see that penetrating a whole culture, when you’re seeing that penetrating everyone on and off the field, that’s the most exciting thing.”

Jay Shetty says

“I think that togetherness is really inspiring. I feel really excited for the club right now, to see that, because that’s not easy to achieve. It’s actually really tough.”

Jay Shetty

When United started the season by losing against Brighton and Brentford, it was reported in the media that Ten Hag took a hard-line approach. One story even claimed the manager joined the players in running to make up for our opponents’ greater distance covered on matchday. 

As a specialist in life and purpose coaching, Shetty is fascinated by Ten Hag’s methods and credits his willingness to lead by example as the key to our progress this campaign. 

“I remember when he came in, at the start there was criticism about how he was getting the players to run laps, or had all these uncommon methods to create discipline and motivation,” said Jay. 

“I actually think really helped him to get his culture through to the club and also bring his own personality. Now when you see the team, it’s like every interception, every time they lose the ball, everyone’s fighting to win it back. I mean, that kind of energy on the field is so inspiring to watch. 

Jay Shetty, pictured with Usain Bolt says

“Now when you see the team, it’s like every interception, every time they lose the ball, everyone’s fighting to win it back. I mean, that kind of energy on the field is so inspiring to watch.”

Jay Shetty, pictured with Usain Bolt

“He’s created this thing of just saying ‘hey, if you lose the ball, it doesn’t mean you have to lose the game, if we misplaced a pass doesn’t have to be a mistake for the rest of the game.’ 

“We’ve switched that mindset to being ‘we can come back in the last couple of minutes again.’ You know, that kind of energy that ‘it’s not over until it’s over.’ I think that energy is fully seeped into everyone in the club and so it’s really exciting to watch. It’s awesome.”