After lightning
“Unsiminated”: Erik Ten Hag follows Leverkusen
01.09.2025 – 9:33 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
After only two match days, Bayer Leverkusen separated from coach Erik Ten Hag. Now the coach publicly shares against the association.
A few hours after his release, Erik Ten HAG sharply criticized the club management of the football runner-up Bayer Leverkusen. “Separating from a trainer after just two league games is unprecedented,” said the Dutch on Monday in a statement that was published by his agency, according to “The Athletic”. He had the feeling, according to Ten Hag, “that this was never a relationship that was based on mutual trust”. The separation came “completely surprisingly” for him.
The successor to successful coach Xabi Alonso would have hoped for more time for the upheaval in the Rhineland. “A new coach deserves the freedom to implement his vision, set standards, shape the team and put his stamp on the playing style,” said Ten Hag. “I started this task with full conviction and energy, but unfortunately the management was not ready to give me the time and trust that I needed what I deeply regret.”
According to sports director Simon Rolfes, who was considered the driving force of the now failed obligation Ten Hags, the Bayer managers had the feeling that “it was not in the right direction. Before we get out of the wrong goal, we decided for an early stage,” said Rolfes after the disappointing start of the season with just one point from two games. So far, no other club has released a coach that had only been signed in the summer in Bundesliga history.
“In my entire career, as a coach, I held out and success every season,” said Ten Hag: “Clubs who gave me their trust were rewarded with success and titles.”
Ten HAG came with plenty of experience. He once led Ajax Amsterdam to the Champions League semi-final, with the English record champions in Manchester, ten HAG was unable to meet expectations from July 2022 to October 2024 and had to go prematurely. Nevertheless, in 2023 he won the league cup and in 2024 the FA Cup with Manunited.