Biography of new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag
On Thursday, April 21, 2022, Manchester United announced the appointment of Erik ten Hag as Men’s First Team Manager from the end of the 2021/2022 season until June 2025, with the option to extend for a further year.
Ten Hag has risen to become one of the most respected managers globally over the last few years.
But who is this new man, Erik ten Hag?
About Erik ten Hag
The present Manchester United manager was born on February 2, 1970. Ten Hag was born in Haaksbergen, Overijssel, Netherlands.
His height is 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in). And he weighs 73 kg.
He is a coach who plays attacking football. Though a defensive player in his playing days.
A sharp, ball-playing central defender in his playing days, Erik spent most of his career spread across three stints with FC Twente, with whom he won the KNVB Cup in 2001.
He is a man who conceives a bright vision and hard work.
Personal Information of Erik ten Hag
Marital Status: Married
Wife Name: Bianca Ten Hag
Father’s Name: Hennie ten Hag
Number of children: 2
Eye Colour: Brown
Hair Colour: Brown
Religion: Christianity
Nationality: Netherland
Net Worth: $4 Million, approximately
Erik ten Hag’s Playing career
During his playing days, Ten Hag played as a centre-back for Twente, De Graafschap, RKC Waalwijk and Utrecht.
He spent three seasons with Twente, where he won the KNVB Cup in 2000–01.
Ten Hag also won the Eerste Divisie with De Graafschap in 1990–91, ten years before Twente won the cup.
After the end of the 2001–02 Eredivisie season, he retired from active playing at 32 while playing for Twente.
Erik ten Hag’s Managerial Career
Ten Hag was appointed manager of Go Ahead Eagles in the Eerste Divisie in 2012. He led the team to its first promotion in 17 years during this time.
He went on to coach Bayern Munich II from June 2013 until 2015. During his time as manager, Ten Hag led his team to the Regionalliga Bayern.
Ten Hag then became the sporting director and head coach of Utrecht in the summer of 2015, where he led the club to fifth place during his first season. In the 2016–17 season, he improved FC Utrecht’s final position to fourth, booking a place in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers.
He was appointed head coach of Ajax in December 2017, and in 2019, he led his team to the semi-finals of the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League for the first time since 1997.
He won his first managerial trophy with Ajax with the 2018–19 KNVB Cup, followed by the Eredivisie title, which brought a double for the club.
In 2021, Ten Hag guided Ajax to their record-extending 20th KNVB Cup. In January 2022, he became the fastest manager in league history to reach 100 wins with Ajax, achieving the feat in 128 matches.
Eric’s Coaching Record
| Team | Years managed | Games Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | GD | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Go Ahead Eagles | July 2012 – June 2013 | 39 | 18 | 11 | 10 | +25 | 46.15 |
| Bayern Munich II | June 2013 – May 2015 | 72 | 48 | 10 | 14 | +95 | 66.67 |
| FC Utrecht | May 2015 – December 2017 | 111 | 56 | 26 | 29 | +70 | 50.45 |
| AFC Ajax | December 2017 – May 2022 | 210 | 156 | 25 | 29 | +400 | 74.28 |
Trophies won
| Trophy | Year(s) won |
|---|---|
| Eredivisie | 2018-19, 2020-21, 2021-2022 |
| KNVB Cup | 2018-19, 2020-21 |
| Johan Cruyff Shield | 2019 |
How Erik ten Hag Led Ajax to the UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals
In 2019, Ten Hag led his Ajax team to the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 1997 by winning against holding champions Real Madrid 4–1 in the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium at the round of 16 stages.
After that, he also won Juventus away 1–2, having drawn the first leg 1–1 at home in the quarterfinals.
In the first leg of the semi-final, he led his team to take a 1–0 lead against Tottenham Hotspur in the recently completed Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. However, in the second leg, a hat-trick by Lucas Moura for Tottenham Hotspur in the second half, with the final goal coming in the 96th minute to make it 3–2 (3–3 on aggregate) to win on away goals, ended Ajax’s hopes of reaching the final.
Erik Ten Hag’s Manchester United Career
Ten Hag was appointed manager of Manchester United on April 21, 2022. The contract span from the end of the 2021–22 season until June 2025, with the option of extending for another year.
Ten Hag’s departure from Ajax was confirmed on May 16, 2022. This was so he could begin his preparations as Manchester United manager for the 2022–23 season.
He was officially introduced to the Manchester United family at Old Trafford on Monday, May 23, 2022.
Ten Hag’s coaching staff was later revealed to include Mitchell van der Gaag (his former Ajax assistant) and Steve McClaren.
Erik ten Hag’s Philosophy
His football is exciting and progressive.
Erik ten Hag likes his team to keep the ball. He is attack-minded and looks to be in charge of the game with lots of possession.
Ten Hag is an attacking manager influenced by Pep Guardiola’s positional and possession-based style of play.
Due to his German heritage, he is also very keen on pressing from the front. He has been praised for his tactical versatility in using a false nine or a more conventional figure upfront.
“Guardiola taught me a lot,” Ten Hag said in February 2019. “His philosophy is sensational; what he did in Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and now Manchester City, that attacking and appealing style sees him win a lot.” This is the structure I’ve attempted to implement with Ajax.”
Ajax used a 4-3-3 formation and rarely deviated from it, with overlapping fullbacks, inside-cutting wingers, and a clear, flat midfield structure.
On a lighter note, Erik ten Hag might just be one of the few Dutch persons without a “van” attached to his name. We hope that he can make history at Manchester United.
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