Manchester United's former coach's brief stint reveals startling secrets from behind the scenes, according to a report.
Erik ten Hag, the former manager of Manchester United, experienced a challenging tenure at Bayer Leverkusen in the 2020-21 season. The German media has highlighted this period as a disastrous managerial spell for the Dutch coach.
Ten Hag was appointed as Bayer Leverkusen's manager in the summer of 2020, but his time at the club was short-lived. He served for only three games before being dismissed, a move that was not unexpected given the events that unfolded during his tenure.
The atmosphere within the club during Ten Hag's tenure was extremely cold. This was evident in the mass exodus of players that followed Xabi Alonso's departure from Bayer Leverkusen. Players such as Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Piero Hincapie all left the club during this period, with a total of nine players departing across the summer.
Ten Hag was reportedly not fully trusted in his role at Bayer Leverkusen, and according to German publication BILD, he was not even made club captain for the new season. The former Ajax boss was also accused of interfering with the club's planning and recruitment, proposing players represented by SEG. However, there is no information available about the names of players he recruited from SEG during his time at Bayer Leverkusen.
Ten Hag's performance at Bayer Leverkusen was reportedly hindered by a lack of support from the club. He won only one competitive game during his spell at the club, a German Cup tie against Sonnenhof Großaspach. Furthermore, his tenure ended in a series of high-profile player departures to the Premier League.
Despite Ten Hag's struggles at Bayer Leverkusen, he has had more success in his subsequent roles. He was appointed as the manager of Manchester United in 2022 and has since led the team to several victories.
The 2023-24 Bundesliga winners, Bayer Leverkusen, now appear a long way from their recent former glories. The club has faced numerous challenges in recent years, and it remains to be seen how they will fare in the future. However, Ten Hag's disastrous tenure at the club is a reminder of the difficulties that can arise when a manager and club do not see eye to eye.
In the view of many, Ten Hag was doomed from the start given the mass exodus following Alonso's departure from Bayer Leverkusen. It is also worth noting that Ten Hag had a history of recruiting SEG clients at Manchester United and during his time in the Netherlands. Despite this, it is clear that his tenure at Bayer Leverkusen was not a success, and he did not get along with anyone at the club, not even staff he hand-picked and brought to Germany.
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