Next Man United boss Erik ten Hag has a history of winning, but will it continue at Old Trafford?
- Seb Sternik
- 22 April 2022
After months of waiting, Manchester United have announced Erik ten Hag as their new permanent manager. Question is, can he revive the club’s long-lost trophy-winning mentality?
The 52-year-old Dutchman put pen to paper on a three-year-deal at Old Trafford as he prepares for the biggest job of his career.
During his decade in the managerial game, Ten Hag has built a fearsome reputation for the one thing United fans are most starved of - winning. However, the big question on everyone's lips is whether he can do the same in the world's toughest league.
Manchester United recently suffered a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool as their hopes of finishing in the top four and qualifying for the Champions League have once again diminished.
After the result, interim manager Ralf Rangnick admitted that a serious rebuild was necessary at the club.
Erik ten Hag will be the man in charge of that rebuild as he looks to shake things up at Old Trafford. Ahead of his arrival, we take a look at the Dutchman's every single season in management.
2012/13 - Go Ahead Eagles
Eerste Division: 6th
Promotion play-offs: WINNER
KNVB Cup: Fourth Round
Erik ten Hag's first season in management certainly set the tone for the many successful years to follow.
The Dutchman finished the regular season in sixth place, 12 points behind the eventual league winners Cambuur. Go Ahead Eagles moved into the play-offs and won the first-round tie 6-3 on aggregate against FC Dordrecht.
The second-round game was similarly straightforward as Ten Hag's men powered to a 4-0 win over the two legs. In the final play-off tie, the Eagles secured their return to the top tier with a 3-1 victory over FC Colendam.
Despite this being Ten Hag's first job, he was able to end the club's 17 year wait for promotion back to the Eredivisie. His efforts caught the eye of a German giant.
2013/14 - Bayern Munich II
Regionalliga Sud: 1st
Promotion play-offs: Finalist
Following his heroics in the Netherlands, Ten Hag then moved to Bayern Munich… more accurately, Bayern Munich II, who at the time played in the fourth tier.
In his first season, the Bavarians scored a mind-boggling 94 goals in 36 games - an average of 2.6 goals per game - as they powered to their first Regionalliga Sud title in a decade.
Finishing top meant Ten Hag's men progressed to the play-off final. However, that's where the Dutchman's luck ran out, as Fortuna Koln scored a 94th minute goal in the second leg to clinch promotion.
Interestingly, one man who featured in Ten Hag's squad was current Tottenham player, Pierre Emile Hojbjerg. Could the two reunite at Old Trafford, with United needing to freshen things up? Time will tell.
2014/15 - Bayern Munich II
Regionalliga Sud: 2nd
As is normally the case in a reserves team, the squad changed in Ten Hag's second season at the club. Nevertheless, the Dutchman finished second - eight points away from eventual champions Wurzburger Kickers.
Bayern scored 34 fewer goals in that campaign, but also conceded goals too. In fact, the Bavarians only lost six games and still enjoyed a very strong campaign.
2015/16 - Utrecht
Eredivisie: 5th
KNVB Cup: Runners-up
Two seasons in the German fourth tier was enough for Erik ten Hag who returned to the Netherlands in order to take over FC Utrecht - a club for which he played for in 1995/96.
Before the Dutchman's arrival, the club managed just one top five finish in nine years. Despite this, it didn't long for the Ten Hag effect to take place.
In his first season, the new manager finished 5th and reached the club's sixth ever cup final - one which they lost 2-1 against Feyenoord.
Interestingly, one member of that team was the current Ajax forward Sebastian Haller.
2016/17 - Utrecht
Eredivisie: 4th
KNVB Cup: Quarter-final
Ten Hag's second season in charge didn't get off to the best of starts as the team endured a six-match winless run. Business eventually picked up, and at one point - between October and January - Utrecht went on a 12-match unbeaten run.
The team went on to finish fourth and bagged a spot in Europa League qualifiers after a dramatic play-off win over AZ Alkmaar.
2017/18 - Utrecht and Ajax
FC Utrecht
Eredivisie: 6th (At the time of departure)
KNVB Cup: Second round
Europa League: Fourth qualifying round
Ajax
Eredivisie: 2nd
Having earned a place in the Europa League qualifiers, the 2017/18 campaign got off to an early start for Ten Hag.
His men progressed to the fourth round before being dumped out over two legs by Zenit St Petersburg.
The Dutchman was later knocked out of the cup, but helped his side to 6th in the table before the new year. As it turned out, Ten Hag wouldn't be returning once 2018 came into view following a move to Ajax, who had just dismissed Marcel Keizer.
Ten Hag began his tenure in Amsterdam with a 2-0 win over Feyenoord. He would go on to win 11 of his next 15 as Ajax finished second in the league - four points away from PSV.
2018/19 - Ajax
Eredivisie: WINNERS
KNVB Cup: WINNERS
Champions League: Semi-final
Without doubt the greatest season in Erik Ten Hag's managerial history.
Ajax stormed to the league title having won 28 of their 34 league games and scored a mammoth 119 goals along the way.
The Amsterdam outfit also reigned supreme in the KNVB Cup, having picked up a 4-0 win over Willem II in the final.
On top of all that, Ten Hag took the side to within a minute of the Champions League final. Despite being 3-2 up on aggregate deep into stoppage time during their semi-final clash against Tottenham, a 96th minute strike from Lucas ended Ajax's hopes of a treble winning season.
2019/20 - Ajax
Eredivisie: N/A (Season scrapped due to Covid, with Ajax top after 25 games)
KNVB Cup: Semi-final
Johan Cruyff Shield: WINNERS
Champions League: Group Stage 3rd
Europa League: Round-of-32
Due to the emergence of Covid-19, the 2019/20 Eredivisie season came to a close after just 25 rounds. At the time of the cancellation, Ajax were top of the table, with AZ Alkmaar in close second.
At the start of the campaign, Ten Hag did add another winner's medal to his collection as his men beat PSV 2-0 to lift the Johan Cruyff Shield.
Ajax also failed to replicate their European heroics, having finished third in their Champions League group before losing to Getafe in a Europa League round-of-16 tie.
2020/21 - Ajax
Eredivisie: WINNERS
KNVB Cup: WINNERS
Champions League: Group Stage 3rd
Europa League: Quarter-final
Ajax were in ruthless mode once the Eredivisie returned to action. Ten Hag's men lost just two games as they romped to the league crown with a massive 16-point advantage.
There was also no stopping them in the KNVB Cup as they eliminated FC Utrecht, AZ Alkmaar and PSV before beating Vitesse 2-1 in the final.
On the European front, Ajax finished third in their Champions League group and progressed to the knockout stages of the Europa League. There, they reached the quarter-final, where they were eventually beaten by AS Roma.
2021/22 - Ajax
Eredivisie: 1st
KNVB Cup: Runners-up
Johan Cruyff Shield: Runners-up
Champions League: Round-of-16
As things stand, it appears that Ajax are on track to retaining their league crown. Ten Hag's men have a four-point advantage over PSV with just five games remaining.
The Eredivisie is the Dutchman's only chance of winning silverware this season, courtesy of his Eindhoven rivals who prevailed in both the KNBV Cup final as well as the Johan Cruyff Shield.
Ajax also topped their Champions League group, but fell short in the knockout stage when they were defeated by Benfica.
2022/23 - Manchester United
As Ten Hag looks forward to the biggest challenge of his professional career, certain bookmakers are already beginning to calculate his odds of success.
Manchester United have now become fourth favourites to win the Premier League next season at 20/1. Ten Hag is also 7/1 to deliver a league crown during his tenure at Old Trafford.
On a less positive note, the Dutchman is also 9/2 to follow in David Moyes' footsteps and fail to see out his first season.
