Erik ten Hag added Rene Hake to his backroom staff as part of a coaching overhaul in the summer.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos ultimately kept faith with Erik ten Hag over the summer despite it being an open secret that several managerial candidates were interviewed.
After sticking with the Dutchman and offering Ten Hag a new one-year contract extension, there were several changes to his coaching staff at Old Trafford.
Eric Ramsay had already left earlier in the year after taking up the manager’s job at MLS side Minnesota United.
Steve McClaren also left in July to become the manager of the Jamaican national team, while Benni McCarthy left after his contract expired to pursue a managerial career of his own.
Dutch duo Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake joined and took their place after being appointed as assistants to Ten Hag.
What Rene Hake has been doing in Man United training
There was plenty of excitement around United’s new-look coaching team this summer, especially as both Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake boast managerial experience of their own.
As a United legend, there has been a lot of focus on Van Nistelrooy and his work with the squad. Recently, Rasmus Hojlund praised Van Nistelrooy’s impact.
Van Nistelrooy was even tipped as a potential replacement for Ten Hag if he was sacked, but the recent 2-1 win over Brentford has relieved pressure.
Out of the two new assistants, Hake has flown under the radar more than his colleague, but former defender Willem Janssen, who played under Ten Hag and Hake at Twente and Utrecht, has now lifted the lid on what he is like as a coach.
As per The Athletic, Janssen said that Hake “paid specific attention to the team’s structure, players’ individual development and their physical condition”. He added “If a player did not work hard enough, Hake would stay and do extra drills with them after training.”
He continued to label Hake an “expert” and pointed out his work with centre-backs “on their passing and footwork.”
Janssen then added insight to what Hake has been working on at Carrington: “At United, he’s doing a lot of the training sessions on the pitch, not only individual and physical like he did with me, but also the tactical training sessions.”
Rene Hake has a key role at Man United
As Hake joined United, he brought over a reputation as a strict disciplinarian and it has now been revealed just how much responsibility he has on a daily basis.
The Athletic report adds that Hake “conducts one-on-one chats with players, is also responsible for the team’s weekly schedule, the team’s day-to-day running, training and meeting times, as well as working with the medics and other departments.”
READ MORE: President reacts to Manchester United links with ‘one of the best coaches in the world’
United’s standards have slipped from the days under Sir Alex Ferguson but with Ten Hag, Hake and Van Nistelrooy at the helm it seems they are running a tight ship.
The backroom changes made over the summer have not yet had an impact on results, but everything points towards United heading in the right direction.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
