Tag: Ten Hag

Erik ten Hag has released a fiery statement after being sacked by Bayer Leverkusen on Monday.

The former Manchester United boss was appointed as Xabi Alonso’s replacement in May, however he has become the first managerial casualty of the 2025-26 campaign after one draw and one defeat in his first two Bundesliga matches.

Bayer Leverkusen officially announced the sacking of Ten Hag on Monday 1 September and the Dutchman promptly issued a bombshell statement to hit back at the German giants.

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 “The decision by Bayer Leverkusen’s management this morning to put me on a leave of absence came as a complete surprise,” Ten Hag posted on Instagram via his agency SEG Football. “To part ways with a coach after just two league matches is unprecedented.”

“This summer, many key players who were part of past successes left the squad. Building a new, cohesive team is a careful process that requires both time and trust. A new coach deserves the space to implement his vision, set the standards, shape the squad and leave his mark on the style of play.

 “I started this job with full conviction and energy, but unfortunately the management was not willing to grant me the time and trust I needed, which I deeply regret. I feel this was never a relationship based on mutual trust.”

Ten Hag added: “Throughout my career, every season I have been able to see through to the end as a coach has brought success. Clubs that placed their trust in me have been rewarded with success and silverware.

 “Finally, I would like to thank the Bayer Leverkusen supporters for their warmth and passion, and I wish the squad and staff every success for the remainder of the season.”

Although Leverkusen’s early results under Ten Hag were poor, many fans have defended the 55-year-old due to the immense player turnover at the BayArena this summer.

The 2023-24 Bundesliga champions sold nine players for a combined price of €229.5 million during the summer transfer window, including star players Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Jonathan Tah and Granit Xhaka.

Piero Hincapie and Victor Boniface were also offloaded on loan, with the former joining Arsenal with an obligation-to-buy clause included.

Meanwhile, a total of 17 new players arrived, with an average age of just 22.6.

Erik ten Hag has been sacked by Bayer Leverkusen after just two league matches in charge.

The former Manchester United manager was dismissed on Monday morning following Leverkusen’s 3-3 draw with Werder Bremen on Saturday.

Leverkusen surrendered two late goals, including a 94th-minute equaliser, despite Niklas Stark’s second-half red card for Bremen.

Read Also: Boniface backs Ten Hag to succeed at Leverkusen

Ten Hag’s only home match in charge was a 2-1 defeat to Hoffenheim on the opening weekend of the season. Jarell Quansah had scored an early opener for Leverkusen before the visitors turned it around. They beat Sonnenhof Grossaspach 4-0 in the first round of the DFB-Pokal.

Former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has been appointed as manager of Bayer Leverkusen on a two-year contract, the Bundesliga club said on Monday.

The 55-year-old Dutchman replaces Xabi Alonso, who left Leverkusen to join Real Madrid.

Ten Hag has been out of job since getting sacked by United in October with the Old Trafford club languishing 14th in the Premier League table.

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His most successful stint came at Ajax Amsterdam, who he coached from 2018-22, winning three Eredivisie titles and taking the club to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019.

Under Spaniard Alonso, Leverkusen secured the double in the 2023-24 season as they lifted their first Bundesliga title without losing a game, won the German Cup and reached the Europa League final.

Ten Hag had been linked with a return to Ajax before penning a deal with Leverkusen, who finished second to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga this year.

Erik ten Hag said he is relishing this week’s Europa League showdown with Jose Mourinho, calling the former Manchester United boss “an example for many, many managers”.

United head to Istanbul this week to take on Fenerbahce, meaning a reunion with Mourinho, who joined the Turkish club in June following his sacking by Roma.

The Portuguese is one of the most decorated managers in history and while he proved a divisive figure at United during his tenure from 2016 to 2018, he won the League Cup and Europa League.

United are under pressure after drawing their first two fixtures in this season’s Europa League but manager Ten Hag is looking forward to pitting his wits against Mourinho on Thursday.

 “It’s a big game for both of us,” he said at the Football Writers’ Association Northern Managers Awards dinner on Sunday.

 “I really enjoy facing him and playing against him. He has always good teams, he is a winner – he (has) won so many trophies – I think he is an example for many, many managers.”

Despite leading United to FA Cup glory at the end of last season, Ten Hag is again under intense scrutiny after an poor start to this campaign – they are 11^th  in the Premier League with just three wins in eight games.

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But the Dutchman accepts the pressure comes with the territory.

 “It is football, you have to live for now,” he said. “(What happened) is in the past, you have to prove (yourself) every day, you have to prove yourself every season, so we have to go for it.

 “We are in the start of the season and we will see where we end but our target is to win a trophy again.”

Some of the pressure on Ten Hag was eased on Saturday as United came from behind to beat Brentford 2-1 at Old Trafford, with Rasmus Hojlund scoring the winner.

Having shown promise in a stop-start first campaign with United, Hojlund has had an injury-disrupted start to this season and his goal at the weekend was his first in the Premier League since May.

But now Hojlund is inching closer to full fitness, Ten Hag believes the 21-year-old Dane will continue to excel.

 “He will always score,” Ten Hag added. “What is important is he is keeping fit. He picked up so many injuries in the first season and when he stays fit, he will score goals because that (is) proved (in) his stats.”

Arsenal to channel Bournemouth pain into Shakhtar clash, Arteta says

Arsenal will use the hurt from their first Premier League defeat of the season to deliver a strong response in their home clash against Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League, manager Mikel Arteta  has said.

Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Bournemouth brought Arsenal’s unbeaten start to the league season to a shuddering halt and left them third in the standings on 17 points, four behind leaders Liverpool and three behind Manchester City.

Arteta’s side host Shakhtar on Tuesday following a goalless draw in their opener at Atalanta and a 2-0 home victory over Paris St Germain, leaving them 13th in the new Champions League format with four points from two games.

The dismissal of William Saliba at Bournemouth marked Arsenal’s third red card in eight league matches, following earlier dismissals for Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard. Each time Arsenal have gone down to 10 men, they have dropped points.

“We cannot continue to play with 10 men, easier to say it then to get it done in the specific moment,” Arteta told reporters on Monday.

“Reacting (after) we had a defeat (but under) very specific conditions. Let’s move on, take that pain we have and use it tomorrow night.

“We need to eradicate the issue (of red cards), it’s clear. The reasons, how – it doesn’t matter. We have to focus.”

Shakhtar are winless in their Champions League campaign after a goalless draw at Bologna and a 3-0 loss to Atalanta. The team have had to adjust to playing on the road, having moved out of Donetsk a decade ago after pro-Russian separatists seized large areas of the region.

They have been known on a global basis as the city that can make things happen, brings great events, reflects the best of America.

Early in September, two days before they were scheduled to play Kryvbas in the domestic league, their hotel was hit by a Russian missile.

“There is obviously a lot of sympathy for the situation they are in and how can I imagine. The incredible attitude they have towards the situation (in Ukraine) due to the war,” Arteta said.

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino added: “I cannot even imagine what they must be feeling or what life is like for them… we will try to host them in the best manner possible.”

Erik ten Hag insisted he retains the support of Manchester United’s hierarchy after his troubled side were held to a 0-0 draw against Aston Villa, while Tottenham blew a two-goal lead in a stunning 3-2 defeat at Brighton on Sunday.

Ten Hag is fighting to avoid the sack after United’s dismal start to the Premier League season, but their latest spluttering display did little to suggest he can turn the tide.

United captain Bruno Fernandes smashed a second half free-kick off the bar, but the visitors needed a Diogo Dalot block on Jaden Philogene’s shot to avoid a damaging defeat.

After finishing eighth last season – their worst final position since 1990 – United are languishing in 14th place so far in this campaign with only two wins in their first seven league games.

Ten Hag’s team have gone five games without a win in all competitions since beating third-tier Barnsley in the League Cup.

United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe refused to guarantee Ten Hag’s position on Friday, admitting the club is not where he wants them to be.

The British billionaire, who watched from the stands at Villa Park alongside his coterie of advisors and former boss Alex Ferguson, will hardly have been reassured that the Dutchman is the right choice to lift United out of their malaise.

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But Ten Hag remains confident he will be given time to turn the tide after winning the FA Cup last season and the League Cup in his debut campaign.

 “We always speak, we speak every week. We are all on-board together, on one page,” Ten Hag said when asked if he was planning to speak to Ratcliffe and company.

 “We know where we are working to, it’s a long-term project and we have to keep improving the process.

 “We have proved in two very tough away games this is a team and you show the togetherness and the spirit, but also the belief and the faith they have.”

At the Amex Stadium, Brennan Johnson put Tottenham in front after 25 minutes with a clinical strike from Dominic Solanke’s pass. It was the Wales forward’s sixth goal in his last six appearances.

James Maddison doubled Tottenham’s lead in the 37th minute as the midfielder’s shot eluded Bart Verbruggen’s weak attempted save.

But Yankuba Minteh reduced the deficit with a close-range blast after Destiny Udogie’s woeful clearance in the 48th  minute,

Georginio Rutter eluded three Tottenham defenders to convert Kaoru Mitoma’s 58th  minute pass with a composed finish from 12 yards.

And Tottenham’s meltdown was complete eight minutes later when Danny Welbeck was left unmarked to head home from Rutter’s cross.

Tottenham’s third defeat in seven league games raised renewed questions about boss Ange Postecoglou’s refusal to adapt his attacking philosophy after their defensive flaws were brutally exposed.

 “Disappointing. Frustrated and absolutely gutted with that. Worst defeat since I’ve been here. Unacceptable second half. Nowhere near where we should be. We got carried away with how we were going,” Postecoglou said.

Earlier, Noni Madueke’s equaliser rescued Chelsea in a 1-1 draw against 10-man Nottingham Forest that ended the Blues’ five-match winning run.

Enzo Maresca’s fourth placed side fell behind to Chris Wood’s strike early in the second half at Stamford Bridge.

England winger Madueke hauled Chelsea level but the hosts couldn’t find a winner despite their numerical advantage in the closing stages.

Forest had to play the last 12 minutes with 10 men after James Ward-Prowse was sent off.

In a separate incident, virtually all 22 players were involved in a late melee, sparked when Forest’s Neco Williams pushed Marc Cucurella off the pitch, causing him to knock Maresca to the ground.

 “I think the team is fighting all together. I don’t think some of them lost their heads, I think they were all of them in the game, so I was happy with that,” Maresca said after Chelsea were shown six yellow cards for the second time this season.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag insists he has nothing “to panic about” after a poor start to the season.

A number of senior sources at United have told BBC Sport that it is business as usual as Ten Hag prepares for key games against Porto and Aston Villa.

Despite Sunday’s demoralising 3-0 loss against Tottenham leaving them in 13th, Ten Hag is confident the season can be a “success”.

“Nothing is easy, but this is nothing for me to panic about,” Ten Hag told Sky Sports on Monday.

“We can sort [the problems] out, this team can sort this out.”

United have won just three of their nine fixtures across all competitions this season, beating Fulham and Southampton in the league and League One Barnsley in the EFL Cup.

Ten Hag led the Red Devils to a third place in the Premier League during his maiden campaign in 2022-23, while they also lifted the EFL Cup and were runners-up in the FA Cup.

Last season United ended the term eighth – their lowest-ever Premier League finish – but signed off in style by beating Manchester City to win the FA Cup.

Read Also: Ten Hag pleads for more time to turnaround Man United

The Dutchman was subsequently rewarded with a new contract, which runs until 2026, over the summer and last month club chief executive Omar Berrada said he had the club’s full backing.

“We created a togetherness in the summer with the ownership and the leadership,” Ten Hag said.

“We made this agreement, and we were all behind it. We know the strategy [is to bring in] young players in a transition period.

“They also know in May in all my last six seasons there were always trophies and that is what we are aiming for.”

During his time at Ajax, Ten Hag won three Eredivisie titles, two KNVB Cups and one Johan Cruyff Shield.

United face a trip to Porto in the Europa League on Thursday and travel to Villa in the Premier League on Sunday, before the October international break.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag remains convinced he will be handed time to turn around the Red Devils’ fortunes after a dispiriting 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham.

United never recovered from a terrible start as Brennan Johnson tapped in from Micky van de Ven’s storming run through the heart of the home side’s defence after three minutes.

Ten Hag then lost his captain Bruno Fernandes to a straight red card before half-time.

Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke then gave Tottenham’s dominance a fair reflection in the scoreline in the second half.

Ten Hag began the season under scrutiny after surviving an internal review at the end of last season.

United finished eighth last season – their lowest ever Premier League finish – and have won just two of their opening six games of the new campaign to sit 12th in the table.

 “We all made it together, this decision to stay together as ownership and leadership group in the summer,” said Ten Hag when asked if he feared the club’s new football leadership group will turn to a new manager.

 “We made the decision from a clear review on what we have to improve and how we want to construct the squad.”

Ten Hag was even handed a one-year extension to his contract under three months ago.

The former Ajax boss badly needs a quick turnaround in fortunes with two tough away games to come this week at Porto in the Europa League and Aston Villa in the Premier League.

 “I think we will get better and we need some time,” he added. “We are all on one page, in the same boat, together, ownership, leadership group, staff and players.”

Ten Hag was critical of the manner his side conceded an equaliser in a 1-1 draw against FC Twente in the Europa League on Wednesday.

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And he could not contain his frustration as Tottenham struck in similar fashion within minutes.

Van de Ven charged from deep inside his own half to the United by-line and crossed for Johnson to apply a simple finish.

 “As a team it cannot happen twice in a few days that a defender can dribble through the whole park,” said Ten Hag. “What I saw in first 30 mins is below the level we can expect from a Manchester United team.

 “The players got very stressed after conceding so quick and they made bad decisions.”

United’s first-half display was branded a “disgrace” by former captain Gary Neville.

Fernandes, though, came out fighting over his dismissal.

The Portuguese international slipped as he slid into a challenge with James Maddison and caught the Tottenham midfielder just below the knee.

 “Never a red card, that is my view,” said Fernandes. “If he wants to give me a yellow (card) because they are going to go on a counter-attack then I agree. But more than that, no. It is not the case.”

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says former interim boss Ralf Rangnick was “absolutely right” about the club needing “open-heart” surgery.

Ten Hag, 54, was appointed manager in 2022 after Rangnick’s seven months in charge.

The German, now in charge of Austria, guided United to sixth in the Premier League but won just 11 of his 29 matches.

Rangnick concluded that the club required “open-heart” surgery and their troubles could not be solved through “minor changes”.

Ten Hag, who signed a one-year contract extension this month, says Rangnick’s analysis was correct.

“Rangnick was absolutely right,” Ten Hag said in an interview with Dutch newspaper AD Sportwereld., external

“We have been working very hard on this for two years, but he said it exactly right: it is a thorough, very complex operation. And I knew when I started that it was going to be a tough job.”

United have undergone major changes off the pitch since Sir Jim Ratcliffe acquired a 27.7% stake in the club last December.

Omar Berrada, Dan Ashworth, Jason Wilcox and Christopher Vivell have all joined in positions at board level this year, while the club have committed £50m to improving the training ground.

Forward Joshua Zirkzee and defender Leny Yoro have joined from Bologna and Lille respectively in the past week, while Ten Hag has confirmed interest in Bayern Munich and Netherlands centre-back Matthijs de Ligt.

“It remains to be seen whether De Ligt will come,” said Ten Hag.

Read Also: Ten Hag excited by Man Utd’s future

“Of course I know Matthijs well, I’m not going to deny that. I wanted to sign him two years ago, but he had already gone a long way with Bayern Munich.”

Despite working with De Ligt at former club Ajax, Ten Hag says it was United’s scouting department that suggested the centre-back as a transfer target.

Ten Hag also confirmed that forward Jadon Sancho, who last appeared for the club in August 2023 and spent the second half of last season on loan at Dortmund, is available again for selection.

“Everyone can make a mistake,” said Ten Hag.