'They have very little understanding of football': Erik ten Hag hits out at Man United board after taking FC Twente job

Earlier this month, Erik ten Hag was officially appointed technical director at FC Twente. Prior to that, he had been named head coach of Bayer Leverkusen at the start of the season, but was dismissed after just three matches in charge.

Speaking at a recent unveiling event, Ten Hag addressed his experiences at previous clubs and spoke candidly about his time at Manchester United, where he spent two years.

“I was dismissed without having the chance to prove that my approach works,” Ten Hag said. “If you look at my resume, it has always been quite good. The way I work has always led to success. Of course, it was disappointing.

“But this is the world of football. Look at Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid - it happened to him too, even though he is considered one of the top managers in Europe. It happens to almost all managers.

“It’s becoming increasingly extreme. You see more and more owners coming into clubs who want to make their mark but have very little understanding of football. Technical directors also often make opportunistic decisions when results are disappointing.”

Ten Hag’s comments reflect a broader trend of growing tension between coaches and club hierarchies. On the first day of 2026, Enzo Maresca was sacked by Chelsea following reported disagreements with club executives. More recently, Manchester United also parted ways with Ruben Amorim after a conflict with director of football Jason Wilcox.

Throughout his recent career, Ten Hag’s relationships with club leadership have often been strained. At Manchester United, he was dismissed midway through the season following poor results. His stint at Leverkusen was even shorter, ending after just three matches, with reports suggesting internal disagreements with the club’s hierarchy played a significant role in his departure.