Leverkusen has since confirmed that the manager will no longer be at the helm in the Bay Arena after the international match.
Ten Hag saw his team hand over a 3-1 lead last Saturday in the away match against Werder Bremen against ten players and the week before at the start of the Bundsliga season in-house with 1-2 against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
Stormbal is already hoisted in German media for Erik ten Hag: ‘completely failed season start’
Ten Hag was confronted in Leverkusen with a huge conversion of the selection with ten departing players, including determining forces such as Jonathan Tah and Florian Wirtz and sixteen newcomers and already asked several times to build the new team.
Tension about transfer policy
Behind the scenes there would be tensions about the transfer policy, because Ten Hag would have been kept out of it and would not get the players what he asked for. That caused noise on the line. Last Sunday an article appeared in Bild in which it was stated that the position of Ten Hag was already in danger and that he might be the victim of a very early resignation. That has become reality.
There were also sounds about the collaboration in the staff that was difficult, with Ten Hag and his Dutch assistants Andries Ulderink and Rogier Meijer were not aligned with other staff members. Meijer and Ulderink temporarily take over on the training field until a new trainer has been appointed.
Erik Ten Hag certainly wastes looking victory with Bayer Leverkusen against ten men Werder Bremen
There would also have been complaints from the players’ group about inadequate chemistry with HAG. “This decision was not easy,” technical director Simon Rolfes indicated in a statement. “Nobody was waiting for this step. In recent weeks, however, building a new and successful team in this composition is not productive. We firmly believe in the quality of our team and will now do everything to take the next steps in our development with a new composition.”
Disastrous start
Ten Hag immediately started his Leverkusen period. At the training camp in Brazil, he lost the first exhibition match against the Flamengo under 20 team with 5-1, which led to Hoon in Germany and England, where the steps of the former United trainer are closely followed.
For the Dutchman, who worked with so much success at FC Utrecht and Ajax, it is the second blow for his career in a short time. Last October he was fired at Manchester United after a bad start of the season.
Last summer Erik ten Hag was the first candidate to follow the left Francesco Farioli at Ajax, but the Oldenzaler ignored the interest because he could work at Leverkusen. Ajax then switched on to John Heitinga, who also does not get up in Amsterdam after a rough start of the season.
How to continue at Ajax towards very heavy matches in Champions League?
For the follow-up of Ten Hag, the names of Xavi, Marco Rose and former PSV trainer Roger Schmidt are circulating in German media.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær and José Mourinho
The rapid dismissal of Ten Hag ensures remarkable statistics. In a week, three (!) Former managers of Manchester United were fired. Ole Gunnar Solskjær at Besiktas and José Mourinho at Fenerbahçe.