ERIK TEN HAG’S high demands in Manchester United training have impressed Rio Ferdinand.
The former centre-back was sent to Carrington by TNT Sports to interview the manager.
Ferdinand stressed that during his 12 years at Man Utd, the players would set the intensity in training and push each other on.
The six-time Premier League winner said: “The standards was a big thing when I was here.
“We used to have Paul Scholes setting the standards. He was the best every day.”
Asked which players drive their team-mates on from the current squad, Ten Hag said: “Raphael Varane, Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez.
“Licha, when he is out on the training pitch, he’s always on the front foot.
“They set the tone so that others they can hang on.”
Ferdinand was delighted to hear about the culture at Carrington, saying: “It’s so refreshing to hear him talk about the training ground and standards.
“Standards, standards, standards. That’s one of the things he kept repeating about – standards.”
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Ferdinand also bumped into Sir Alex Ferguson while at Carrington and they embraced each other with a big hug.
The legendary gaffer then joked he was responsible for making his hair go white.
Ferdinand then spoke to his old team-mates Jonny Evans and Darren Fletcher as they revealed Wayne Rooney was once booed off stage after trying his hand at singing a pop classic.