Erik ten Hag
Ten Hag managing Utrecht in 2017
Personal information
Full name Erik ten Hag
Date of birth (1970-02-02) 2 February 1970 (age 54)
Place of birth Haaksbergen, Netherlands
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre-back[2]
Team information
Current team
 Manchester United (manager)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1990 Twente 14 (0)
1990–1992 De Graafschap 54 (6)
1992–1994 Twente 45 (2)
1994–1995 RKC Waalwijk 31 (2)
1995–1996 Utrecht 30 (2)
1996–2002 Twente 162 (3)
Total 336 (15)
Managerial career
2012–2013 Go Ahead Eagles
2013–2015 Bayern Munich II
2015–2017 Utrecht
2017–2022 Ajax
2022– Manchester United
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Erik ten Hag (born 2 February 1970) is a Dutch professional football manager and former player who is the manager of Premier League club Manchester United.

Ten Hag played as a centre-back and began his career with Eredivisie club Twente. He joined De Graafschap in 1990, and won the Eerste Divisie in his first season. He rejoined Twente in 1992 and transferred to RKC Waalwijk two years later, where he remained for one season before signing with Utrecht in 1995. Ten Hag returned to Twente for a third time in 1996, where he won KNVB Cup in 2001. He retired in 2002, at age 32.

Ten Hag began his managerial career in 2012, when he was appointed by Go Ahead Eagles, where he led the club to promotion to the Eredivisie in his debut season. He then joined Bayern Munich II in 2013, winning promotion to the Regionalliga Bayern in 2014. He returned to the Netherlands in 2015 as sporting director and head coach at Utrecht. He joined Ajax in 2017, where he won three Eredivisie titles, two KNVB Cups, and led the team to the semi-finals of the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League. In 2022, he was appointed as the manager of Manchester United.

Early life

Erik ten Hag was born on 2 February 1970 in Haaksbergen, Overijssel.[3]

Playing career

Ten Hag played primarily as a centre-back for Twente, De Graafschap, RKC Waalwijk and Utrecht. He had three stints with Twente, with whom he won the KNVB Cup in the 2000–01 season.[citation needed]

Ten Hag also won the Eerste Divisie with De Graafschap in the 1990–91 season, ten years before winning the cup with Twente. He retired from active playing in 2002 at the age of 32 while playing for Twente, after the end of the 2001–02 Eredivisie season.[citation needed]

Managerial career

Ten Hag with Twente in 2008

Pre-managerial career

Following his retirement, Ten Hag took on a coaching role at Twente's academy, initially overseeing the U17 team, followed by the U19 team until 2006, when he was promoted to assistant manager. He worked under Fred Rutten and later Steve McClaren until 2009. He then joined PSV, working as an assistant under Rutten once more.[4]

Early career

In 2012, Ten Hag was appointed as manager of Go Ahead Eagles in the Eerste Divisie by Marc Overmars, who was a shareholder of the club.[3][5] During his only season at Go Ahead Eagles, he led the team to its first promotion in 17 years.[4]

He coached Bayern Munich II from 6 June 2013, until 2015, when he was replaced by Heiko Vogel.[6][7] During his time as manager Ten Hag led his team to the Regionalliga Bayern.[8]

Ten Hag then became the sporting director and head coach of Utrecht in summer 2015, on a two-year deal.[9] In his first season, he led the club to the 2016 KNVB Cup final, losing 2–1 to Giovanni van Bronckhorst's Feyenoord;[10] a league finish of fifth put them in the playoffs for a UEFA Europa League place, losing 3–1 on aggregate to Heracles Almelo.[11] The following season, a fourth-place finish put Utrecht in the playoffs again, where they secured a European place on penalties against AZ Alkmaar.[12] Utrecht were sixth when Ten Hag left at the mid-point of the 2017–18 Eredivisie season.[13]

Ajax

2017–18 season

On 28 December 2017, Ten Hag was appointed as the head coach of Ajax after the club dismissed Marcel Keizer.[13] He signed a deal until June 2020. He arrived at a team that had already been eliminated from the domestic cup, as well as the qualifying rounds of the Champions League and Europa League.[14] His debut on 21 January 2018 was a 2–1 home win in De Klassieker against Feyenoord.[15]

2018–19 season

Ten Hag led the team to the semi-finals of the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League for the first time since 1997, by winning against defending champions Real Madrid 4–1 in the Santiago Bernabéu at the round of 16 stage,[16] and also beating Juventus away 1–2 having drawn the first leg 1–1 at home in the quarter-finals. In the first leg of the semi-final, he led his team to a 1–0 win against Tottenham Hotspur in the recently completed Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.[17] However in the second leg, a second-half hat-trick by Lucas Moura for Tottenham Hotspur, with the last goal being scored in the 96th minute to make it 3–2 (3–3 on aggregate) to win on away goals, eliminated Ajax.[18]

He won his first managerial trophy with Ajax on 5 May 2019, the 2018–19 KNVB Cup, beating Willem II in the final.[19] Ten days later, Ajax won the Eredivisie as well, after a 1–4 away victory over De Graafschap, completing a double.[20] At the end of the season, Ten Hag signed a new contract until 2022.[21]

2019–20 season

Ajax began their 2019–20 season with a 2–0 victory over PSV in the 2019 Johan Cruyff Shield. During the 2019–20 Eredivisie season, Ajax won 14 and drew two of their first 16 matches. This was followed by successive defeats to Willem II and to AZ. Ajax's form following these defeats fluctuated, with the club going on to lose three further games in their next eight, as well as a second league defeat of the season to AZ. However, due to the emergence of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Eredivisie season was null and voided, which meant that despite Ajax being top on goal difference to AZ, there wouldn't be an official winner of the 2019–20 Eredivisie season. Ajax's European campaign was relatively less successful compared to the previous season, having finished third in their group in the 2019–20 Champions League and being subsequently relegated to the UEFA Europa League. Ajax was resultantly knocked out by Getafe after a 3–2 aggregate loss in the Round of 32 of the 2019–20 Europa League.

2020–21 season

Ajax began the 2020–21 season by winning their first three games, before a 1–0 defeat at Groningen, which proved to be one of the two league defeats that Ten Hag's team sustained over the course of the season. On 24 October 2020, Ten Hag led Ajax to a historic 13–0 victory over VVV-Venlo, breaking the Eredivisie record of the biggest recorded victory in the history of the competition. In the Europa League, the team lost 3–2 on aggregate to Roma in the quarter-finals. On 18 April 2021, Ten Hag guided Ajax to their record-extending 20th KNVB Cup with a 2–1 win over Vitesse in the final.[22] Two weeks later, Ten Hag extended his contract with Ajax through to the end of the 2022–23 season.[23]

2021–22 season

Ajax began the 2021–22 campaign with a 4–0 defeat in the Johan Cruyff Shield to PSV, before goin unbeaten for the first seven league games before a 1–0 home defeat to Utrecht. This proved to be one of Ajax' three league defeats over the season, as Ajax won the title, with results including 5–0 home win over PSV on 24 October 2021. Ajax won all six of their group matches in the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League. On 16 January 2022, Ten Hag became the fastest manager in league history to reach 100 wins with Ajax, achieving the feat in 128 matches, when his side beat Utrecht 3–0 away on match day 19.[24]

Ajax would eventually be knocked out by Benfica in the round of 16, whilst winning their third Eredivisie title in four years, after a 5–0 home victory over Heerenveen on 11 May 2022. Ten Hag's side also reached the 2022 KNVB Cup Final, a 2–1 defeat to PSV.[citation needed]

Manchester United

Ten Hag managing Manchester United in 2022

On 21 April 2022, Ten Hag was appointed as manager of Manchester United starting from the end of the 2021–22 season until June 2025, with the option of extending for a further year.[25] Mitchell van der Gaag and Steve McClaren were later revealed to be joining Ten Hag as part of his coaching staff.[26] On 16 May, it was confirmed that Ten Hag had left his Ajax role early to begin his preparations as Manchester United manager for the 2022–23 season.[27]

2022–23 season

Ten Hag lost his first Premier League match, 2–1 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on 7 August.[28] Following a 4–0 defeat away to Brentford on 13 August in his second Premier League match,[29] Ten Hag became the first Manchester United manager since John Chapman in 1921 to lose his first two games in charge.[30] On 22 August, Ten Hag won his first competitive game as Manchester United manager when his side recorded a 2–1 victory against arch-rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford. This was United's first league win against Liverpool since March 2018.[31] On 11 January 2023, Ten Hag led Manchester United to a 3–0 win over Charlton Athletic in the EFL Cup,[32] and in doing so became the fastest Manchester United manager to reach 20 competitive wins, achieving the feat in 27 games.[33] On 26 February, Ten Hag's side beat Newcastle United 2–0 to win the EFL Cup, claiming their first trophy since 2017.[34] However, in their first league game after lifting the trophy, Ten Hag's side lost a record 7–0 at Anfield, home of their rivals Liverpool. It was the heaviest defeat in the history of that fixture, as well as United's joint-heaviest defeat ever, and the first time they had conceded seven goals since 1931.[35]

In his first season at the club, Ten Hag also led Manchester United to a place in the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League, by finishing third place in the top four of the Premier League, and also got to the 2023 FA Cup final, eventually losing to local rivals Manchester City, with a scoreline of 2–1.

2023–24 season

Manchester United began the 2023-24 season with a 1–0 win in the Premier League over Wolverhampton Wanderers on 14 August.[36] On 1 November, Manchester United exited the EFL Cup in the fourth round with a 3–0 loss at home to Newcastle United, who they beat in the final the season prior.[37] Ten Hag was awarded Premier League Manager of the Month for November. Manchester United player Harry Maguire was also awarded Player of the Month.[38] On 12 December, Manchester United exited the Champions League after losing 1–0 to Bayern Munich, finishing bottom of their group with 4 points assuring no European football for the rest of the season. On 23 December, Manchester United lost 2–0 to West Ham, failing to score for the third consecutive match and registering their thirteenth loss of the season so far. Despite the result, Ten Hag insisted that the club can improve.[39]

Personal life

Ten Hag is married to Bianca. The couple have two daughters and a son.[40]

Playing statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League KNVB Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Twente 1989–90[41][42] Eredivisie 14 0 0 0 — 14 0
De Graafschap 1990–91[41] Eerste Divisie 37 5 — — 37 5
1991–92[41] Eredivisie 17 1 — — 17 1
Total 54 6 — — 54 6
Twente 1992–93[41] Eredivisie 24 1 — — 24 1
1993–94[41][43] Eredivisie 21 1 1[a] 0 — 22 1
Total 45 2 1 0 — 46 2
RKC Waalwijk 1994–95[41] Eredivisie 31 2 — — 31 2
Utrecht 1995–96[41] Eredivisie 30 2 — — 30 2
Twente 1996–97[41] Eredivisie 26 1 — — 26 1
1997–98[41][44] Eredivisie 33 0 5[a] 0 — 38 0
1998–99[41][45] Eredivisie 29 0 4[b] 0 — 33 0
1999–2000[41] Eredivisie 30 2 — — 30 2
2000–01[41] Eredivisie 28 0 — — 28 0
2001–02[41][46] Eredivisie 16 0 2[a] 0 1[c] 0 19 0
Total 162 3 11 0 1 0 174 3
Career total 336 15 12 0 1 0 349 15
  1. ^ a b c Appearance(s) in UEFA Cup
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Intertoto Cup
  3. ^ Appearance in Johan Cruyff Shield

Managerial statistics

As of match played 18 February 2024
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
P W D L Win %
Go Ahead Eagles 1 July 2012 6 June 2013[6] 39 18 11 10 046.15
Bayern Munich II 6 June 2013[6] 22 May 2015[8] 72 48 10 14 066.67
Utrecht 23 May 2015[9][47] 27 December 2017 111 56 26 29 050.45
Ajax 28 December 2017 15 May 2022 215 158 28 29 073.49
Manchester United[48] 23 May 2022 Present 97 59 12 26 060.82
Total 534 339 87 108 063.48

Honours

Player

De Graafschap

Twente

Manager

Bayern Munich II

Ajax[27]

Manchester United

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Erik ten Hag: Profile". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  2. ^ Jackson, Jamie (21 April 2022). "Ten Hag confident of Manchester United revival without lavish budget". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  3. ^ a b "E. Ten Hag: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  4. ^ a b Bate, Adam (21 April 2022). "Erik ten Hag to Manchester United: His coaching journey from Twente to Ajax via Go Ahead Eagles explained in detail". Sky Sports. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Overmars commissaris bij Go Ahead Eagles" [Overmars Commissioner at Go Ahead Eagles]. Voetbal International (in Dutch). Amsterdam. 11 April 2005. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  6. ^ a b c Warmbrunn, Benedikt (6 June 2013). "Unterrichter in kniffligen Fragen". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  7. ^ "Heiko Vogel trainiert künftig die U23 des FC Bayern". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  8. ^ a b "Bayern München II". Kicker (in German). Olympia-Verlag. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  9. ^ a b "Ten Hag wird Trainer und Sportdirektor beim FC Utrecht". Kicker (in German). Olympia-Verlag. 22 April 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  10. ^ "Feyenoord verovert KNVB-beker" (in Dutch). RTL Nieuws. 24 April 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Celebrations for Heracles, De Graafschap to fight relegation". Dutch News. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  12. ^ "FC Utrecht na stunt tegen AZ in Europa League" (in Dutch). KNVB. 28 May 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Ajax appoint Utrecht boss Erik ten Hag as new head coach". Sky Sports. 28 December 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Ajax sack Marcel Keizer and assistant Dennis Bergkamp after Cup exit". The Guardian. 21 December 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Ten Hag debuteert bij Ajax met simpele zege in Klassieker" (in Dutch). NOS. 21 January 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  16. ^ "Ajax close to perfection in Real Madrid thrashing, says Erik ten Hag". Sky Sports. 6 March 2019.
  17. ^ "De Ligt powers Ajax into semi-finals". Sky Sports. 16 April 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  18. ^ Bushnell, Henry (8 May 2019). "Tottenham stuns Ajax with last-second winner in Champions League semifinal". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  19. ^ "Ajax beat Willem II to take the KNVB Cup for first time since 2010". DutchNews.nl. 5 May 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  20. ^ "Ajax Clinches Eredivisie Title, Dutch Domestic Double". Sports Illustrated. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  21. ^ "Ajax extends contract of coach Erik ten Hag". USA Today. 20 June 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  22. ^ "Ajax strike late to down Vitesse and lift their 20th KNVB Cup". Football Oranje. 18 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  23. ^ "Ajax boss Ten Hag extends contract ending links with Tottenham". ESPN. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  24. ^ "Geen enkele Eredivisie-trainer won ooit zo snel 100 keer met 1 club als Ten Hag met Ajax". sportnieuws.nl (in Dutch). DPG Media. 16 January 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  25. ^ "Manchester United appoints Erik ten Hag as manager". Manchester United F.C. 21 April 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  26. ^ "Backroom Staff Appointments Confirmed". Manchester United. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  27. ^ a b "Erik ten Hag manages last match for Ajax". Manchester United F.C. 16 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  28. ^ "Ten Hag loses first Man Utd game as Brighton win". BBC Sport.
  29. ^ "Brentford hit four in first half to humiliate Man Utd". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  30. ^ "Soccer-'Rock bottom': Former players tear into Man Utd after Brentford defeat". Yahoo! News. 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  31. ^ McNulty, Phil (22 August 2022). "Manchester United 2–1 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  32. ^ Sansom, Dan (11 January 2023). "Man Utd 3–0 Charlton: Marcus Rashford double and Antony strike send hosts through to Carabao Cup semi-finals". Sky Sports. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  33. ^ Nelson, Joe (11 January 2023). "Ten Hag becomes fastest United manager to 20 wins". Manchester United F.C. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  34. ^ a b McNulty, Phil (26 February 2023). "Manchester United 2–0 Newcastle United: Erik ten Hag's side win Carabao Cup for first trophy since 2017". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  35. ^ McNulty, Phil. "Liverpool 7–0 Manchester United: Reds thrash old rivals in Anfield rout". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  36. ^ "Man Utd 1-0 Wolves: Raphael Varane wins it as Erik ten Hag's side scrape to victory against Gary O'Neil's team".
  37. ^ "'I am a fighter': Erik ten Hag defiant after Newcastle humble Manchester United". Guardian. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  38. ^ "Harry Maguire, Erik ten Hag win Premier League November awards after perfect month". TNT Sport.
  39. ^ "Erik ten Hag insists he can improve club's fortunes despite West Ham loss". The Guardian.
  40. ^ Gaudion, Andrew (7 August 2022). "Who has Erik ten Hag played and coached for? Getting to know the new Man United manager". Metro. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  41. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Ten Hag". Voetbal International. Archived from the original on 11 March 2009.
  42. ^ For 1989–90 UEFA Cup: Ionescu, Romeo (2004). The Complete Results & Line-ups of the UEFA Cup 1971–1991. Cleethorpes: Soccer Books. p. 385. ISBN 978-1-86223-109-2.
  43. ^ For 1993–94 UEFA Cup: Ionescu, Romeo (2004). The Complete Results & Line-ups of the UEFA Cup 1991–2004. Cleethorpes: Soccer Books. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-86223-115-3.
  44. ^ For 1997–98 UEFA Cup: Ionescu. The Complete Results & Line-ups of the UEFA Cup 1991–2004. pp. 192, 197, 201.
  45. ^ For 1998 UEFA Intertoto Cup: "Erik ten Hag: Club Matches: UI-Cup 1998/1999". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  46. ^ For 2001–02 UEFA Cup: Ionescu. The Complete Results & Line-ups of the UEFA Cup 1991–2004. pp. 356, 370.
    For 2001 Johan Cruyff Shield: "Erik ten Hag: Club Matches: Supercup 2001". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  47. ^ "FC Utrecht". Kicker (in German). Olympia-Verlag. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  48. ^ "Erik ten Hag Profile & MUFC Managerial Record". MUFCinfo.com. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  49. ^ a b Wallace, Sam (21 April 2022). "The making of Erik ten Hag: 'Only one coach could analyse games like him – and that was Fergie'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  50. ^ "Ten Hag vertrekt bij Bayern München". NOS. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  51. ^ "Winnaars Rinus Michels Awards 2016" (in Dutch). De Voetbal Trainer. Archived from the original on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  52. ^ "Winnaars Rinus Michels Awards 2018/19". De VoetbalTrainer (in Dutch). 17 May 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  53. ^ "Ten Hag wins Rinus Michels Award". AFC Ajax. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  54. ^ "Manager Profile: Erik ten Hag". Premier League. Retrieved 26 December 2023.

External links

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