Erik ten Hag will have a contentious legacy at Manchester United, with trophy wins and youngsters emerging, but hurt by the lack of a tactical direction and a lack of connection with fans.
One thing, however, that nobody will doubt about his time at Man Utd is that his media management wasn’t the best.
Ruben Amorim’s charming ways have only served to put that contrast into an even sharper focus, and Erik ten Hag, now at Leverkusen, isn’t faring much better.
In fact, his latest comments at the German club will give whiplash to Man Utd fans and a traumatic sense of deja vu. They are all too familiar.
Erik ten Hag, head coach of Bayer Leverkusen, gestures
Photo by Domenic Aquilina/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Right off the bat, it is worth noting that Ten Hag took over from Leverkusen at a time when the squad was going to be gutted.
To make matters even more difficult, Leverkusen had just lost the most successful manager in recent history in Xabi Alonso.
Taking over from him and losing so many of his starters was a thankless job, but, at the same time, it was a huge opportunity to mould a team in his image.
He didn’t get off to the best of starts at Leverkusen, but started picking up some momentum in pre-season.
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Ahead of their season-opener against Hoffenheim, Erik ten Hag was asked about his thoughts on the evolution of the team under his watch.
He pulled out the same “I’m not Harry Potter” phrase to ask for time, as he was in the middle of that dreaded word, known as “process”.
He said [via De Telegraaf]: “I’m a manager and I know how to manage processes. You can’t force processes. That’s impossible. No one is like Harry Potter and can build a team so quickly and be successful at the same time. That’s not how top-level football works. You need a period to build a team.”
At United, he used the word “process” ad nauseam anytime he was questioned on his approach that wasn’t bearing any fruit.
He used the “I’m not Harry Potter” riposte when he was questioned as to why Manuel Ugarte wasn’t being given a chance, and he said it takes time to adapt to the league.
How Ugarte was going to adapt to the league when he wasn’t playing is anybody’s guess, and that set the player back on a path he’s still trying to recover from.
Crux is correct, but Ten Hag’s approach needs refining
To tell fans not to expect “miracles”, like winning football matches consistently with a clear style of play, when you’ve been in the job for two years already, is not a good look.
Ten Hag never acknowledged any problems with the team, which led to the fans turning on him at Old Trafford, as they were being gaslit into thinking everything was fine.
He’s been at Leverkusen for about three months, so it’s fair for him to say not to expect miracles, so the crux of what he’s saying is correct.
However, that confrontational approach Man Utd fans are all too familiar with will start getting tiring for Leverkusen fans as well.
Showing vulnerability and honesty endears a manager to the fans, naturally leading to a longer rope.
It’s ironic that Ten Hag keeps asking for more time while speaking in a certain way and turning off the fans, the sentiment of whom plays a big part in letting the manager have more time.
Only results will save him because he lacks the nuance of playing the media game, as cynical as it sounds.