Erik ten Hag hails Man Utd's legacy on 66th Munich Air Disaster anniversary

03 February 2024 , 22:30

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Erik ten Hag has praised Man United's legacy (Image: Getty Images)

Erik ten Hag has described how the Munich Air Disaster is a major driving force behind his dream of bringing the glory days back to Manchester United.

United will mark the 66th anniversary of the tragedy on Tuesday when they will remember the eight brilliant Busby Babes killed when a plane taking them home from a European Cup tie in Belgrade crashed on take-off after a refuelling stop in Bavaria.

Twenty-three people died in the accident - including eight journalists. But manager Matt Busby recovered from serious injuries to build a team that became European champions 10 years later.

Ten Hag, who will attend a memorial ceremony at Old Trafford to mark the anniversary, said: "Munich tells a lot about the legacy of this club and the DNA of this club.‌ Having big setbacks, tragedy, but fighting back with young players who should express resilience.

‌"Munich was a disaster for the club. How the club recovered from it, how individuals recovered from it, it was great. From such a disaster, to survive it and a couple of years later you're lifting the biggest trophy in European football, that is immense.

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"We should always remember this. This is the legacy of why Manchester United exists - and what we should match as a club, as a team, as individuals."

‌Ten Hag was touched by tragedy himself in 1989 when one of his FC Twente team-mates was killed in a plane crash in Surinam. Andy Scharmin was a promising 21-year-old left-back who rejected the chance to play for Holland at the Toulon Tournament so that he could travel to the homeland of his parents to feature in a charity game.

Legendary Manchester United manager Sir Matt Busby (Bob Thomas/Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)

Scharmin was one of 15 players who died. His mum and aunt also perished in a disaster that claimed 176 lives - and Ten Hag always pays tribute to his close friend on the anniversary of the accident.

Ten Hag admitted that he has a responsibility to keep the legacy that the Busby Babes left in 1958 by giving United's youth players a pathway to the first team.

He added: "I've always been driven by this motivation and that is one of the reasons why I’m here, to develop young players. You need patience but you also need the right structures, capable coaches in the academy, but also personalities you have to develop. To bring young players in is a big advantage because they know the DNA of the club."

Simon Mullock