Erik ten Hag - Ajax Manager

gajender

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My biggest concern is I don't see our squad being capable of playing the level of technical football this bloke has Ajax playing

In the few times I have seen Ajax down the years recently even VDB didn't look as comfortable on the ball as the likes of De Jong and Ziyech so I cant see beyond either another massive rebuild or it going so wrong he gets the sack half way through

Sometimes like Conte you just have to admit as good as that manager may be they're not a right fit so you go for someone who will work best with the players at your disposal

It's a good thing he's already bald as he'd be pulling his hair out trying to get McFred to pass the way De Jong does
Stop with this nonsense please we have enough technical players in the squad to play good football and we don't need another rebuild either irrespective of what type of Coach we choose in the summer or now just few additions should be suffice to give them a balanced team ready to compete .
 

AjaxCunian

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Having spoken to some friends living and working in Holland. They say Ten Hag is a very quiet and easy going person.
Would this really suit us, as this was Ole, and we seen what happened here.
Players Rule now, and when you have some of the world's top players, others tend to look up to these, and sometimes even ahead of the manager. This can be very damaging to the dressing room and training ground.
"You lose the players respect, you lose your job".
Ole is far more charismatic and jovial than Ten Hag. Knows exactly what to say to bring happy vibes, all the time. Ten Hag is a simple man, crazy about football and his job. Extremely driven to improve, every training session, every match.

Most managers we are linked with are "easy going" as well. I don't see Poch or Rodgers weekly going to the club dancing.
 

amolbhatia50k

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We like Poch because he is a fantastic manager who got to a champions league final and made Tottenham arguably the best side in the league two seasons on the bounce.

Suits our squad right now more than arguably anyone else. It’s almost like maybe this squad was built for him in mind eventually.

We still need a starter RWB and CDM but it’s almost finished otherwise for him to hit the ground running.
Are you talking about the season they were 7 points off the top and the season they were 11 points off the top?
:lol:
 

charlenefan

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Stop with this nonsense please we have enough technical players in the squad to play good football and we don't need another rebuild either, irrespective of what type of Coach we choose in the summer or now just few additions should be suffice to give them a balanced team ready to compete .
It's nonsense that we have a ton of players that look so awkward on the ball it hurts? McFred, AWB even Pogba, Bruno and Maguire at times. It's not nonsense at all it's a fact
 

AussieDevil

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Would be good to see him go up against a big English side in the champions league. Wouldn’t expect him to win but would be interesting to see how he would set up against Liverpool or Chelsea.
 

Giggsyking

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My biggest concern is I don't see our squad being capable of playing the level of technical football this bloke has Ajax playing

In the few times I have seen Ajax down the years recently even VDB didn't look as comfortable on the ball as the likes of De Jong and Ziyech so I cant see beyond either another massive rebuild or it going so wrong he gets the sack half way through

Sometimes like Conte you just have to admit as good as that manager may be they're not a right fit so you go for someone who will work best with the players at your disposal

It's a good thing he's already bald as he'd be pulling his hair out trying to get McFred to pass the way De Jong does
So Tadic and Haller can but not Sancho and CR7?
 

AjaxCunian

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Would be good to see him go up against a big English side in the champions league. Wouldn’t expect him to win but would be interesting to see how he would set up against Liverpool or Chelsea.
Played them in recent years. Lost twice to Liverpool by one goal (proud of the performances, match could have gone either way but Liverpool were very good and probably deserved it a bit more), Liverpool did have some injuries with the goalkeepers and centre backs/right back that Ajax didn't make enough use of.
One loss (think an even match) and one draw (robbed, Ajax battered them until the robbery and after it was all Chelsea) to Chelsea.
 
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sullydnl

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Thing is, VDB did play in a deeper role for Ten Hag at times, so you'd immediately have a midfield option who knows how to function in Ten Hag's system to break up the McFred pivot.

And AWB will be an issue for pretty much any manager we're linked with and (given the links to Trippier that have persisted for a while) is likely a position we're planning to strengthen presently anyway.
 

Adam-Utd

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I think they were probably referring more to McFred and AWB. At least that’d be my guess. Maybe one or two others.
Fred has shown at times he's more then capable of being a great passer.

Look at the 2nd half against Villareal, he was toying with them at times. Consistency has always been his biggest issue. Sometimes he looks like he's put his boots on the wrong way around.

I do believe that if we have a coach that actually prioritises passing, possession and retaining the ball under pressure then we'd see massive improvements in this area.
 

Berbasbullet

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Fred has shown at times he's more then capable of being a great passer.

Look at the 2nd half against Villareal, he was toying with them at times. Consistency has always been his biggest issue. Sometimes he looks like he's put his boots on the wrong way around.

I do believe that if we have a coach that actually prioritises passing, possession and retaining the ball under pressure then we'd see massive improvements in this area.
Good point, his short passing isn’t too bad, but ask for a good switch of play you’re in trouble. Maybe 10 hags could develop a lot of our players.
 

roonster09

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Fred has shown at times he's more then capable of being a great passer.

Look at the 2nd half against Villareal, he was toying with them at times. Consistency has always been his biggest issue. Sometimes he looks like he's put his boots on the wrong way around.

I do believe that if we have a coach that actually prioritises passing, possession and retaining the ball under pressure then we'd see massive improvements in this area.
Yeah, he ranks well in both progressive passes and through balls. His problem is lack of concentration, takes loose touches which puts pressure on him and the team. He has very good attributes for good manager to work with.
 

RUCK4444

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Yeah, he ranks well in both progressive passes and through balls. His problem is lack of concentration, takes loose touches which puts pressure on him and the team. He has very good attributes for good manager to work with.
I think this has been highlighted as he's played largely as our primary DM when he's more of a box to box. If the next manager can play to his strengths he's a very handy player to have imo.

Get's a lot of stick unfairly at times imo, Scott seems to get away with being bang average at times.
 

Wilt

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Banking on Ten Hag at the end of season is just pie in the sky. Chances of him signing for Utd end of season are slim at best.

Poch has always wanted to manage Utd and if there’s any chance of getting him away from PSG then Utd should go for it. No point blowing Poch away for Ten Hag if signing Ten Hag is likely to never happen.
 

roonster09

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I think this has been highlighted as he's played largely as our primary DM when he's more of a box to box. If the next manager can play to his strengths he's a very handy player to have imo.

Get's a lot of stick unfairly at times imo, Scott seems to get away with being bang average at times.
Yeah, he is not the deepest player then it shouldn't be the problem.

Also disagree about McTominay getting away, he gets lot of criticism. There is not a single Manutd player who doesn't get criticism including players like Ronaldo.
 

Adam-Utd

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Banking on Ten Hag at the end of season is just pie in the sky. Chances of him signing for Utd end of season are slim at best.

Poch has always wanted to manage Utd and if there’s any chance of getting him away from PSG then Utd should go for it. No point blowing Poch away for Ten Hag if signing Ten Hag is likely to never happen.
:lol: this is pure fiction and opinionism.

Clearly the United board will have talked to him/his agent directly way before the end of the season happens.

If he wants to join us he will, if he doesn't he won't. IF we prefer Pochettinho we get him instead. Simple.

Why on earth would Ten Haag turn down Manchester United in the Premier League?!
 

RUCK4444

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Yeah, he is not the deepest player then it shouldn't be the problem.

Also disagree about McTominay getting away, he gets lot of criticism. There is not a single Manutd player who doesn't get criticism including players like Ronaldo.
Yeah I suppose they've all had criticism this season and rightly so, I just seem to see more about Fred than Scott. I think Fred has had the more memorable errors leading to direct attacks/goals which sticks in peoples minds.

I've said for a long time that an actual DM (we literally only have Matic who is an actual DM) in the side, a top level one, would make the other players we have much more viable options and bring the best out of them. Right now none of them are a good match in the absence of such a player imo. Doesn't mean they are terrible players just means we are missing a defensive midfielder massively.
 

sullydnl

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Banking on Ten Hag at the end of season is just pie in the sky. Chances of him signing for Utd end of season are slim at best.

Poch has always wanted to manage Utd and if there’s any chance of getting him away from PSG then Utd should go for it. No point blowing Poch away for Ten Hag if signing Ten Hag is likely to never happen.
Don't have an issue with the argument that we should go for Poch if he's immediately available but the idea that we'd wait until summer only to find Ten Hag won't come is silly.

In a scenario where the permanent manager doesn't arrive until the summer, whoever it is will have a deal agreed long before then whether it's announced or not. If Ten Hag isn't going to come then they'll know long before the summer.
 

Livewire1974

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Ajax have 15 points so far and have won their Champions League group, on a tiny budget have having sold many of their best players over the years.

Saint Poch has 8 points and lies in second in his group, we dont need to mention the massive resources at his disposal.

This is a no brainer.
 

Glorio

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Yeah, he is not the deepest player then it shouldn't be the problem.

Also disagree about McTominay getting away, he gets lot of criticism. There is not a single Manutd player who doesn't get criticism including players like Ronaldo.
Not from ex-United pundits though - pundits tend not to focus criticism his way. Whenever they talk about our midfield, he's a "good" player who's learning the game
 

charlenefan

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Ajax have 15 points so far and have won their Champions League group, on a tiny budget have having sold many of their best players over the years.

Saint Poch has 8 points and lies in second in his group, we dont need to mention the massive resources at his disposal.

This is a no brainer.
Yes because the decision should absolutely be based on two completely different UCL groups
 

RUCK4444

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Ajax have 15 points so far and have won their Champions League group, on a tiny budget have having sold many of their best players over the years.

Saint Poch has 8 points and lies in second in his group, we dont need to mention the massive resources at his disposal.

This is a no brainer.
Not to mention the style of play we want to transition to with Ten Hag, he’s the new up and coming manager that we’ve been furious with missing out on in the past.

It’s not a case of discrediting Poch, just a case of wanting the best possible candidate who ticks all the boxes when we consider what we need to compete with the likes of Klopp and Pep.
 

RedSky

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Games: 29
Win %: 55%
Draw %: 21%
Loss %: 24%
GF: 57
GA: 29
GD: +28
Clean Sheets: 9

Champions League Wins: 16
Group Stage​
A​
Besiktas​
1:2​
Group Stage​
A​
Borussia Dortmund​
1:3​
Group Stage​
H​
Borussia Dortmund​
4:0​
Group Stage​
H​
Besiktas​
2:0​
Group Stage​
A​
Sporting CP​
1:5​
Group Stage​
H​
FC Midtjylland​
3:1​
Group Stage​
A​
FC Midtjylland​
1:2​
Group Stage​
A​
LOSC Lille​
0:2​
Group Stage​
A​
Valencia CF​
0:3​
Group Stage​
H​
LOSC Lille​
3:0​
Semi-Finals​
A​
Tottenham Hotspur​
0:1​
Quarter-Finals​
A​
Juventus FC​
1:2​
last 16​
A​
Real Madrid​
1:4​
Group Stage​
A​
AEK Athens​
0:2​
Group Stage​
H​
Benfica​
1:0​
Group Stage​
H​
AEK Athens​
3:0​

Champions League Draws: 6

Group StageAAtalanta BC2:2
Group StageAChelsea FC4:4
Quarter-FinalsHJuventus1:1
Group StageHFC Bayern3:3
Group StageASL Benfica1:1
Group StageABayern Munich1:1

Champions League Loses: 7

Group StageHAtalanta BC0:1
Group StageALiverpool1:0
Group StageHLiverpool0:1
Group StageHValencia0:1
Group StageHChelsea0:1
Semi-FinalsHSpurs2:3
last 16HReal Madrid1:2
 
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VanDeBank

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It's not the attackers I worry about, it's those behind them
Alvarez, Martinez and Klaassen are shite on the ball by United standards.

Not every player in ETH's teams is a technical wizard and his formations aren't rigid, meaning it's impossible to say: X player will be replaced because he's a different type than X player at Ajax. Alvarez and De Jong have played in the same "position".

He's taken West Ham and Watford rejects, he'd take half our squad if offered.
 

RedSky

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That's a better breakdown to see how well Ajax and Ten Hag has performed, I wouldn't use just this seasons CL's form as a barometer of his success as clearly Dortmund are struggling a bit this year. Great that he's winning, but I think looking at his scalps from previous seasons is perhaps more impressive. The concern would be looking at the losses, 6/7 came at home. Although all loses were due to a 1 goal margin.
 

Hoof the ball

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The argument that 'X manager hasn't managed in the PL, therefore, it's a risk', is an antiquated one and better suited to the time period in th 80's and 90's where PL football didn't have overwhelming TV coverage outside of the UK, and thus coaches didn't have as easy access to scouting as we do now.

Ten Hag has likely watched more PL footbal than you and I in the last twenty years given both the increased exposure of the PL on European TV, and the very fact that Ten Hag is meticulous when it comes to being a student of the game itself. Do people honestly believe that Ten Hag would come into England and then suffer a culture shock because of some surprise increase in quality or intensity? Do people honestly think that a manager so cerebral and intelligent as him would be caught unaware by the variation in tactical approaches from the Eredivisie to the PL?

If you're smart enough, if you're a student of the game, if you're bright, intelligent and you are tactically minded you've likely already answers to all the questions that the PL can throw at you.
 

Terranova

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Alvarez, Martinez and Klaassen are shite on the ball by United standards.

Not every player in ETH's teams is a technical wizard and his formations aren't rigid, meaning it's impossible to say: X player will be replaced because he's a different type than X player at Ajax. Alvarez and De Jong have played in the same "position".
Martinez isn't. Klaassen only sometimes and Alvarez isn't that bad anymore.
 

Wilt

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:lol: this is pure fiction and opinionism.

Clearly the United board will have talked to him/his agent directly way before the end of the season happens.

If he wants to join us he will, if he doesn't he won't. IF we prefer Pochettinho we get him instead. Simple.

Why on earth would Ten Haag turn down Manchester United in the Premier League?!
Several reasons …..

He’ll want to see what state Utd are in end of season (not looking good atm).

Ten Hag will most certainly want to compete in the CL …looking odds against Utd will qualify.

There‘s likely to be other major clubs interested, who may happen to be more appealing.

He might want to stay with Ajax …and why not, he’s happy with the Ajax set up and doing very well.

Location to family and friends?

Basically there could to be lots of reasons, the Utd job is becoming a poison challis and luring top managers not as easy as once thought.
 

sparx99

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It's nonsense that we have a ton of players that look so awkward on the ball it hurts? McFred, AWB even Pogba, Bruno and Maguire at times. It's not nonsense at all it's a fact
Half of the Ajax team would individually fail in the Premier League or already have. Daley Blind and Dusan Tadic for example. I have no doubt a better coach could develop or improve any of our players by giving them defined roles and working on their specific failings.
 

Pexbo

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The argument that 'X manager hasn't managed in the PL, therefore, it's a risk', is an antiquated one and better suited to the time period in th 80's and 90's where PL football didn't have overwhelming TV coverage outside of the UK, and thus coaches didn't have as easy access to scouting as we do now.

Ten Hag has likely watched more PL footbal than you and I in the last twenty years given both the increased exposure of the PL on European TV, and the very fact that Ten Hag is meticulous when it comes to being a student of the game itself. Do people honestly believe that Ten Hag would come into England and then suffer a culture shock because of some surprise increase in quality or intensity? Do people honestly think that a manager so cerebral and intelligent as him would be caught unaware by the variation in tactical approaches from the Eredivisie to the PL?

If you're smart enough, if you're a student of the game, if you're bright, intelligent and you are tactically minded you've likely already answers to all the questions that the PL can throw at you.
I don’t think any Premier League winning manager other than Ranieri had earlier experience at another Premier League side.

(Dalgliesh also managed old Division 1 Liverpool)


The rest came from other leagues.
 

altodevil

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Oct 16, 2013
Messages
17,350
Games: 29
Win %: 55%
Draw %: 21%
Loss %: 24%
GF: 57
GA: 29
GD: +28
Clean Sheets: 9

Champions League Wins: 16
Group Stage​
A​
Besiktas​
1:2​
Group Stage​
A​
Borussia Dortmund​
1:3​
Group Stage​
H​
Borussia Dortmund​
4:0​
Group Stage​
H​
Besiktas​
2:0​
Group Stage​
A​
Sporting CP​
1:5​
Group Stage​
H​
FC Midtjylland​
3:1​
Group Stage​
A​
FC Midtjylland​
1:2​
Group Stage​
A​
LOSC Lille​
0:2​
Group Stage​
A​
Valencia CF​
0:3​
Group Stage​
H​
LOSC Lille​
3:0​
Semi-Finals​
A​
Tottenham Hotspur​
0:1​
Quarter-Finals​
A​
Juventus FC​
1:2​
last 16​
A​
Real Madrid​
1:4​
Group Stage​
A​
AEK Athens​
0:2​
Group Stage​
H​
Benfica​
1:0​
Group Stage​
H​
AEK Athens​
3:0​

Champions League Draws: 6

Group StageAAtalanta BC2:2
Group StageAChelsea FC4:4
Quarter-FinalsHJuventus1:1
Group StageHFC Bayern3:3
Group StageASL Benfica1:1
Group StageABayern Munich1:1

Champions League Loses: 7

Group StageHAtalanta BC0:1
Group StageAAtalanta BC1:0
Group StageHLiverpool0:1
Group StageHValencia0:1
Group StageHChelsea0:1
Semi-FinalsHSpurs2:3
last 16HReal Madrid1:2
Never lost by more than one goal - seriously impressive
 

AgentSmith

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GK
RB - Varane - Maguire
CDM - Shaw
Sancho - VdB - Bruno - Rashford
Ronaldo​

I think that team seems to suit the template in the picture if we flip it to suit our starting XI, but would most likely require 3 quality signings.

I’d have some hope Henderson could fulfil the GK slot (at least more so than DDG) while Laird could serve as a long-term option at RB to someone more experienced. Would require a level of consistent form VdB has yet to show as well but exactly the manager you’d want to ensure that happened.

CDM remains the question with no viable pre-existing answer though. I wonder if ten Hag likes rice for dinner.