Erik ten Hag - Ajax Manager

KirkDuyt

Full Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Messages
24,520
Location
Dutchland
Supports
Feyenoord
not really going to comment on the idea of Ten Hag as a United manager. That shouldn't even be discussed at this point yet. Maybe in 2-4 years if things keep going like this season or better, but tbh that's very unrealistic. This is the best squad Ajax has had in a decade and probably the best we'll have for quite a while as well. Hard not to see us having a difficult season next year if we lose De Ligt, Ziyech, De Jong, Onana.

Ten Hag has grown on me, though I feel as the season's progressed he's shifted away from some attacking exciting experiments he had going on in the system.

Tadic - Ziyech - Neres basically freely moving behind and around a striker for the first half was honestly exhilarating but he's slowly moved back to a more conservative, balanced team since then which I think is a shame.

One thing I'll definitely give Ten Hag though is his European record. His teams (Utrecht and Ajax) have now played 18 European games under him, and only lost 1. That was with Utrecht, away against Zenith, on paper clear favourite, where they unfairly lost 1-0 in regular time, and went out after the 2-0 in extra time
I think Ten Hag has done a great job at Ajax, but every time I hear him talk I just think, you're not an Ajax guy. It's obviously his accent, but also his stubbornness and demeanor. Somehow, I just don't see him having a successful career abroad.

I've been wrong before though. Or so I'm told.
 

arthurka

Full Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2010
Messages
18,714
Location
Rectum
I'm not going to say that Bosz should be a candidate for a big club at the moment, but I wouldn't damn him for his time at Dortmund either.
  • The season started with Dembele forcing a move, after the pre-season, with him as the creative head of the team, was done.
  • Auba started acting up, apparently showing increasing disciplinary problems, putting Bosz in the dilemma that he either had to suspend one of his best strikers without backup or cause division by tolerating his behaviour
  • Weigl, Dortmund's supposed midfield head, came back from an injury a couple of weeks after the season started, made critical mistakes and either was unable or refused to (probably both) to function in Bosz's role
  • Jeremy Toljan, Dortmund's new fullback that season, was absolutely disastrous in defense, literal school boy defending, but since the squad was a bit thin on that position and both Schmelzer and Piszczek picked up week-long injuries Bosz still had to play him almost every game.
  • Reus not being able to play a single minute for him
  • Bartra, not that I would ever blame him for it, losing it completely in the middle of Bosz's tenure.
  • To some degree bad luck: especially in the game against Schalke, when Auba missed a sitter at 4:0 and then got himself sent off - a win there would've shifted momentum a lot.
  • The club and players not having come to terms with the bus attack at the time, especially since the trial was beginning in winter.

Obviously we can criticize that Bosz should've realized that he didn't have enough fight in his midfield, his CBs were unable to cope with his high line and he should have reacted quicker and been more pragmatic until the squad was right for his style. But it's also true that Stöger couldn't perform satisfactory with the squad either (despite getting rid of Aubameyang, getting Akanji and having Reus fit).
Dortmund did a huge overhaul this summer for a reason, they introduced Kehl as a squad manager, to have a closer eye on squad dynamics and problems, they hired Sammer as an external adviser, they got rid of Sokratis and together with signing Akanji and Diallo completely replaced the CBs Bosz had to work with. Toljan, who Bosz had to field every game, was phased out under Stöger and now that Hakimi was signed he didn't play a single minute under Favre. They added combativeness and a lot of leadership mentality to their midfield in Witsel and Delaney. Weigl has been relegated to a bench role, Sahin has been sold. So has Yarmolenko, who was the attacking marquee signing of Bosz's period.
I didn´t say it was all his fault of course bad luck and other things came at him during his tenure.
But he struggle adapting and seemed to have little or no clue how to get any defensive shape or form.
BVB were a club in rebuilding phase when he came and it was said before he came that he maybe wasnt the right man for the job in hand, which proved to be right in the end.
Don´t get me wrong I like his style and love watching the games but we were debating if he or Eric Ten Hag were possibly the right men for the Utd job and the short answer is no. Bosz didn´t look anywhere near ready for BVB and I am sure he isn´t even close to being ready to clean up this wreck that Mourinho with leave Utd with.
 

Cassidy

No longer at risk of being mistaken for a Scouser
Joined
Oct 2, 2013
Messages
31,233
I hope we are tracking him, if not we are a useless club
 

SportingCP96

emotional range of a teaspoon
Joined
Feb 17, 2014
Messages
9,873
Supports
Sporting Clube de Portugal
He owns this all to Marcel Keizer:lol::lol: (sarcasm)
 

Amadaeus

Pochémon Fan Club Chairman
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
9,234
Location
Amongst footballing managerial 'Gods'
United next permanent manager /thread. I remember some fans laughing about my post and says previous Ajax manager could have done what he is doing and more stuff like that. I wonder if they still think that.
 

Schmeichel's Cartwheel

Correctly predicted Italy to win Euro 2020
Joined
Dec 21, 2014
Messages
11,420
Location
Manchester
Sign him up as Ole's assistent.
Somehow, I don't think a guy who is on the verge of reaching the Champions League final with Ajax of all teams would be that interested in being our #2. Future Barcelona manager written all over him.
 

SCP

Full Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2016
Messages
5,941
Location
Lisbon
Supports
Sporting Clube Portugal
ETH to put out the cones and take care of tactics, Ole to handle all other matters like Fergie used to.
Don’t know if would work today really but your intention was good.
 

SCP

Full Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2016
Messages
5,941
Location
Lisbon
Supports
Sporting Clube Portugal
Somehow, I don't think a guy who is on the verge of reaching the Champions League final with Ajax of all teams would be that interested in being our #2. Future Barcelona manager written all over him.
Or Bayern Munich.
 

MikeKing

Full Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2017
Messages
5,125
Supports
Bournemouth
Wrong way round
He used to be an assistant? If he is a full on manager then that's that. If he only wants to be a manager then it's no reason for any combo. However, he would make for one hell of a first team coach. Ole can do the whole press conferences and the big picture stuff while this guy stays out of the limelight to focus on performing some high level coaching magic on the training ground.

Sounds ridiculous but pay him insane money and just make a superteam.:wenger:
 

Okey

Full Member
Joined
May 11, 2017
Messages
2,431
All I know is that guy can coach a team! The stuff Ajax have played in Europe this season is pure gold. When they're in their stride, it's almost more choreographed and automatic than Citeh! Not surprised he worked with Pep. The coaching is almost exact. One to keep an eye on...
 

tenpoless

No 6-pack, just 2Pac
Joined
Oct 20, 2014
Messages
16,301
Location
Ole's ipad
Supports
4-4-2 classic
Gets the best out of Daley Blind. Sign of an intelligent manager.
 

In Rainbows

Full Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2014
Messages
6,750
This feels like another situation where United already have a manager and so another club snaps up this manager, and so when the time comes for another manager, United have a smaller cast to choose from.
 

MikeKing

Full Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2017
Messages
5,125
Supports
Bournemouth
This feels like another situation where United already have a manager and so another club snaps up this manager, and so when the time comes for another manager, United have a smaller cast to choose from.
I was just thinking that myself. :lol:
 

Bojan11

Full Member
Joined
May 16, 2010
Messages
33,113
This feels like another situation where United already have a manager and so another club snaps up this manager, and so when the time comes for another manager, United have a smaller cast to choose from.
It’s pretty blatant he will end up at Bayern and we’d probably most likely end up regretting not going for him.
 

Zehner

Football Statistics Dork
Joined
Mar 29, 2018
Messages
8,079
Location
Germany
Supports
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
I can see Ten Hag managing Barcelona one day.
Better sooner than later. The quality of their squad is compensating for worse managing effectively since Pep's exit. People tend to focus on players but neither de Ligt, nor de Jong, nor anyone else in this squad would look as good if they weren't thas good as a team.
 

beedoubleyou

Full Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2015
Messages
1,337
Location
Manchester
I wonder what exciting things Manchester United fans will want next week.

Maybe give the new guy a chance?
 

RooneyLegend

New Member
Joined
May 3, 2013
Messages
12,963
Better sooner than later. The quality of their squad is compensating for worse managing effectively since Pep's exit. People tend to focus on players but neither de Ligt, nor de Jong, nor anyone else in this squad would look as good if they weren't thas good as a team.
Those two are just brilliant footballers, it's what he's getting out of the lessor players that's impressed me.
 

RooneyLegend

New Member
Joined
May 3, 2013
Messages
12,963
As I said I'd prefer him over Poch. His attacking play has a great structure about it. Its pretty clear what they are trying to achieve in that sense. As for Poch, while his team does have a great intensity about it, all teams at the top of the European game have that. What separates the very best coaches to people like him is having a clear attacking structure.
 

Amadaeus

Pochémon Fan Club Chairman
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
9,234
Location
Amongst footballing managerial 'Gods'
As I said I'd prefer him over Poch. His attacking play has a great structure about it. Its pretty clear what they are trying to achieve in that sense. As for Poch, while his team does have a great intensity about it, all teams at the top of the European game have that. What separates the very best coaches to people like him is having a clear attacking structure.
Same thing was said about Van Gaal. Even though, Ten Hag was my second choice behind Poch despite much criticism I faced, the premier league is a much different competition than the Eridevise. However, what I like about Ten Hag beside his footballing philosophy is his meticulousness in his gameplan and monitoring of his players. United need a manager that offers these traits.

I am starting to worry whether giving Ole another season after some of his recent displays would be the correct thing for United going forward. Ten Hag could be the new Klopp, Pep or Poch and we may miss out on him if we are indecisive on whether Ole is the right person to take us forward.
 

Charles Miller

Full Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Messages
3,046
The state of the first page...this why is always better not give an opinion on people you dont know right as if you were a specialist in the matter.
 

Enigma_87

You know who
Joined
Aug 7, 2008
Messages
27,639
Get VDS as sporting director and start planning to get this guy in two years.
Even if we don't take this guy I'd love both VDS and Overmars in technical roles.

That Ajax side was playing pretty good football under Bosz as well..
 

Ballache

Full Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2004
Messages
17,232
Location
Stockholm/Beirut
Supports
Martial
Even if we don't take this guy I'd love both VDS and Overmars in technical roles.

That Ajax side was playing pretty good football under Bosz as well..
Exactly, we need to find a proper direction for the club and this is definitely an option.
 

KirkDuyt

Full Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Messages
24,520
Location
Dutchland
Supports
Feyenoord
I implore you to watch some of his pressers and reconsider. The man is a less eloquent version of Hodor with the charisma of a stuffed IKEA toy.
 

Dolf

Full Member
Joined
May 27, 2016
Messages
2,888
Location
Amsterdam
Even if we don't take this guy I'd love both VDS and Overmars in technical roles.

That Ajax side was playing pretty good football under Bosz as well..
Make Ed Woodward the financial guy, basically an accountant with a little more power. Make VDS CEO and Overmars DoF. Let them set out a plan and we'll be back at top in 5 years.
OR: continue this way and have a new manager with a different style every 3-4 years so that we can keep making these 'rebuild' threads.


I implore you to watch some of his pressers and reconsider. The man is a less eloquent version of Hodor with the charisma of a stuffed IKEA toy.
True, he needs to work on that although I doubt he can really improve. However, that has nothing to do with tactics and coaching.
 

KirkDuyt

Full Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Messages
24,520
Location
Dutchland
Supports
Feyenoord
Make Ed Woodward the financial guy, basically an accountant with a little more power. Make VDS CEO and Overmars DoF. Let them set out a plan and we'll be back at top in 5 years.
OR: continue this way and have a new manager with a different style every 3-4 years so that we can keep making these 'rebuild' threads.




True, he needs to work on that although I doubt he can really improve. However, that has nothing to do with tactics and coaching.
Sure, but for a top club you need to be a personality as well. I have no doubt he's an excellent tactician, but the English press will tear him apart.
 

Stadjer

Full Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2013
Messages
7,456
Location
The Netherlands
At the start of the season Ajax supporters didnt even want him.. now he should be the Manchester United manager? A bit much.. but i guess Solksjaer got the job for being a legend as a player, having a perfect run against bad teams and be very lucky against PSG. So you dont need to have won major trophies to he a United manager.

Ten Hag didnt start the season well, lost some 'easy games' and he didnt even really play Donny van de Beek (major point of critism from Ajax fans). Neres also almost left because he didnt get that much playing time. Ten Hag improved during the season but he is still learning as a manager.

Personally i prefered Peter Bosz over Erik ten Hag. Bosz didnt have the luck that he was allowed to add quality and experience to his team while ten Hag got Blind, Tadic and some extra years of experience for players like de Jong and de Ligt.