Usain Bolt was full of appreciation for the work that Erik ten Hag has done at Manchester United since his arrival at Old Trafford before the start of the 2022-23 season.
Bolt – a famous Man United fan – had the chance to personally pass on his thanks following the club’s home 3-1 win over Fulham in the FA Cup quarter-finals, a game that was filled with drama as the visiting side saw three red cards in quick succession.
Ten Hag inherited a side that had limped to sixth place in the Premier League last season under Ole Gunner Solskjaer and later Ralf Rangnick, and after spending heavily in the summer, has rejuvenated them.
United have already lifted the Carabao Cup this season after beating Newcastle in the final back in February, and victory over the Cottagers ensured a quick return to Wembley in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. They also sit third in the Premier League and are in the last eight of the Europa League.
Bolt initially remained tight-lipped on the post-match encounter, quipping on Twitter that he was ‘passing on some vital information’ from United fans in Jamaica ashe posted a picture of them together.
Usain Bolt had the opportunity to meet Erik ten Hag after Manchester United’s 3-1 win over Fulham
Bolt took to Twitter to joke that he was passing on ‘vital information’ from Jamaican fans
But the Jamaican sprinter emphasised that the work the Dutchman has done so far in 2022-23 was a hugely positive sign for United fans in an interview with Man United media, especially after what he described as a spell of ‘ups and downs’.
‘The first thing I said to him was thank you,’ Bolt began. ‘That’s the first thing I said.
‘I was like, “thank you” and I shook his hand. And he was like, “thank you for what?” I was like, “bringing the glory days back”.
‘For the past couple of years it’s been a tough ask for the players and tough ask for the team and there’s been ups and downs, you know. So the fact that now we can see us stabling out and going forward and going up, it’s brilliant.
‘All I was trying to say was just thank you, I appreciate [it] and just to continue what [you’re] doing.’
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The Red Devils have a great chance of adding at least two further trophies to this season’s haul, which would mark a hugely successful start to the Ten Hag era.
They have been drawn alongside Sevilla in the Europa League quarter-finals with the Spanish side hovering just two points above the relegation zone in LaLiga and will face Brighton in the last four of the FA Cup.
Ten Hag’s side have already won the Carabao Cup and are in the latter stages of two other competitions
Paddy Power have United as the most likely side to lift what would be a second Europa League title at 11-8 and second favourites for the FA Cup at 12-5 behind Mancehster City (8-15).
And such is the impression that the Dutchman has made so far this season, Bolt predicted that even greater success is perhaps just around the corner for the side that have gone a decade without a league title.
‘Our season is going wonderful,’ he continued. ‘I think it’s just so great Ten Hag has come in and [what he has] done for the club. The club has really changed.
‘You can see the energy in the players and the mindset is so different, so, for me, I’m very happy with the direction the club is going. I know we are going to win titles.’