Who Is Erik ten Hag? Learn About His Transformative Tactics

The Netherlands is home to some of the legendary football coaches. The Dutch developed concepts such as “Total Football” and revolutionised the tactical part of the game. Keeping in tradition with producing great tacticians, the Netherlands has produced one more coaching mastermind in Erik Ten Hag. Ten Hag is set to officially join Bayer Leverkusen on 1st July, 2025, to become their new head coach following the departure of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid. Erik Ten Hag is a Dutch manager who made a name for himself with a historic spell at Ajax.

The 55-year-old was an ex-centre-back who was a run-of-the-mill player in the Eredivisie. He turned to coaching after retiring at 32 and rose to fame when he had the chance to manage Bayern Munich II. He also had the luxury of working with Pep Guardiola to fine-tune his coaching skills. A real breakthrough came for him when he returned to his homeland to manage a top-division club for the first time. His spell with Utrecht earned him a great name and led to a move to Ajax in 2017. He went to the club when it was in turmoil, and although he did take time to make his impression, he did extremely well to make them winners again. Ten Hag used managerial brilliance with player communication to develop players and achieve remarkable success with the club.

However, this did not translate to his next job at Manchester United. The Dutchman who managed a non-Dutch club in a senior capacity for the first time struggled to get his message across. His disciplinary actions were deemed too strict as he lost the confidence of the dressing room often. Despite winning a couple of domestic cup trophies, he was shown the door by the Red Devils as they suffered in the league and European tournaments.

Ten Hag had a gap year before assessing all his options. His apparent quality was there to be seen as Bayern Leverkusen appointed him as the head coach for the upcoming 2025-26 season, and it will be interesting to see how his new spell works out. Sit tight as we take you through Ten Hag’s football identity and how he might transform Bayern Leverkusen.

Erik ten Hag’s Style of Play and Tactics

Erik Ten Hag’s office at Ajax had three iconic black and white photo frames. Rinus Michels, Johan Cruyff and Louis van Gaal all found a spot in his office. This tells you everything you need to know about the manager. Hans Kraay Jr., one of Ten Hag’s teammates at De Graafschap, recollected that Ten Hag had excellent tactical awareness as a player and paid keen attention to every detail happening on the pitch. He was able to grasp it properly when he became a manager and channelled it to perfection.

A main part of Ten Hag’s philosophy is to play entertaining and attacking football. Speaking with ESPN, he said, “ Attack is the best defence and it’s difficult to score against us as, first of all, we attack with 11 and defend with 11. All the players in our way of playing have a job and have to do that job with 100% discipline. Achieve that, and it’s difficult to score against your team.” His philosophy is drawn from two iconic figures in the game. First is Johan Cruyff, who influenced him to adopt total football. The second is Pep Guardiola. Ten Hag took elements of tiki-taka and used them in his playstyle. Being in Germany with Bayern Munich II also made him learn some methods of Deutschland, such as Gegenpressing.

Erik Ten Hag uses a simple 4-2-3-1 formation. It is straightforward and needs a particular skill set from each player. The formation always starts from the back with a modern-day goalkeeper who can play out with his feet. They should also have the ability to sweep up and be a third player in the build-up as and when required. The centre-backs similarly must be intelligent ball players and should be able to receive the ball under pressure and turn to play some smart passes.

The fullbacks carry so much significance as they are needed in both attack and defence. They have to be smart enough to either hold the width or invert when needed and help their defence with excellent tracking back. A key feature of Ten Hag’s system is how he used the double pivot in the middle of the park. Instead of asking one player to stay behind, he envisions both of them as deep-lying makers and box-to-box midfielders. The role requires extreme levels of skill and stamina as they are involved in the thick of things.

Then the forward line that’s made up of four players comes into the picture. They are the first line of defence, according to Ten Hag, as they lead the press to win the ball back as soon as they lose it. Ten Hag expects his forwards to keep interchanging flanks while being able to make dangerous runs and create high-quality chances. The number 10 and the striker take the onus of goalscoring. They should be able to press efficiently while also being strong in duels. The clinical nature of the box helps them to convert chances with ease.

The 4-2-3-1 system can be envisioned in multiple ways according to in-game scenarios. The defence resembles three at the back when on the ball. Off the ball, they press in a 4-2-4 and often create situations where they have five or six bodies in attack. When the aforementioned things work in tandem, they look like poetry in motion. Ten Hag was the orchestrator of this beautiful symphony at Ajax as they won three league titles while making memorable European runs.

Also Read: Who is Luis Enrique? Learn About his Transformative Tactics

Erik Ten Hag’s Tactics Comparison & Evolution: Ajax vs Manchester United

When Erik Ten Hag was announced as the head coach of Ajax, a few gave him no chance at all. He was seen as an outsider as he had no relation to the club during his playing days. Even his Eastern Dutch accent was ridiculed, as many believed he couldn’t help the club in a tough time. However, he had the backing of Marc Overmars, who was Ajax’s director at that time. Overmars believed doubters would come around when Ten Hag played his brand of entertaining football. However, it wasn’t without any turbulence as Ten Hag moved on from Ajax’s famed 4-3-3 formation. It was considered blasphemy when he fielded his first 4-2-3-1 lineup. But when results started coming, the fans turned back and began backing their manager.

Ten Hag first arrived in December 2017 when Ajax had only league football to play as they were knocked out of all cups. He sustained that season and got to know the players from the famed Ajax academy. In his first full season at the club, he signed experienced players like Dusan Tadic and Daley Blind. He dovetailed it excellently with the young crop of Donny Van de Beek, Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt and Hakim Ziyech.

The results were extraordinary as Ajax scored goals for fun. They were a joy to watch thanks to their high pressing and fluid football. He won the league and cup double domestically, ending a five-year drought for a league title. They had an iconic run to the 2019 Champions League semifinal. The boys came of age when they destroyed high-flying Real Madrid 4-1 at the Bernabeu en route to the semis. However, they lost heartbreakingly in the semis to Tottenham on away goals after a Lucas Moura equaliser in the 96^th minute.

His Ajax side was raided, and he lost many of his stars. This forced Ten Hag to rebuild again. He gave a breakthrough to Ryan Gravenberch and Edson Alvarez, who became his new pivot stars. After the 2019/2020 league season was null and voided due to the pandemic, Ajax went back-to-back in the league as Ten Hag made the club untouchable domestically. He was linked with multiple top clubs in 2022, and Manchester United wooed him enough to capture his signature.

Ten Hag’s time at Ajax was marked by success that brought them silverware and made them entertaining. He was also loved for his discipline and ability to get his ideas across. Ten Hag revived the careers of some seniors and gave breakthroughs to multiple youngsters. When he arrived in Manchester, people expected the same to follow suit. But those who observed the game keenly could always say it wouldn’t be easy for him to do it at a massive club in England with little experience outside of the Netherlands. Truth be told, the naysayers were right, as Ten Hag never really got it right in England.

Even the Red Devils were in a slump like Ajax when he picked them up. But he failed to work his magic. He used the same 4-2-3-1 formation, and that was where the similarities between his Ajax and Manchester United reigns would end. He enjoyed a lot of freedom at the club early on. He had a say on the transfers, the training facilities, the home team’s bench area and even the length of the grass. Despite enjoying such freedom, he rarely delivered the results.

He lost his first two games in charge of the club in the League in 2022. A resounding 2-1 victory over arch-rivals Liverpool in his third game indicated a change of fortunes. But it never came around. Erik Ten Hag’s strict persona didn’t go well with the players at Manchester United. A few unnamed players were quoted as saying they failed to understand Ten Hag’s methods, and his tactics were lost in translation. Moreover, his discipline was also thought to be over-controlling and strict by the players.

A few reports emerged that players felt he wasn’t adept at motivating the players. This was in sharp contrast to whatever reputation Ten Hag had built at Ajax. He wasn’t the most emotional person in the world, but he was known for being there for his players. Hence, the dressing room fallouts with players were baffling. It happened not once but twice as Ten Hag fell out with the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo first. The Portuguese international in an explosive interview with Piers Morgan tore the club from the top down, including having a go at Ten Hag before leaving them in January 2023.

Despite the difficulties, Ten Hag won the Carabao Cup in his first season with the Red Devils and finished a respectable third in the league. The lowest point, however, was a 7-0 thumping at the hands of Liverpool. He was given a fair budget next season with the hopes of improvement. However, a series of poor signings at absurd values meant that the manager dug his own grave. Jadon Sancho was the recent player to have a public spat with the manager. Old Trafford, which was a fortress, was breached too regularly as the team lost a sense of identity. Ten Hag failed to steer them out of trouble. Further humiliations in Europe meant they were reaching a point of no return. They finished eighth in the league in what was their worst finish in the history of the league.

However, a shock FA Cup final victory over Manchester City won them a second silverware in two years. It saved Ten Hag’s job before the crunching end-of-season review. However, it proved to be a mistake according to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s admission. He spent another three months in charge of the club while making more signings that didn’t help the club at all. A 2-1 defeat to West Ham United in 2024 sealed his fate as the club were lingering in the bottom half of the table after struggling in Europe. It brought an end to two and a half seasons of chaos and confusion at Old Trafford as Ten Hag lost a part of the reputation he earned at Ajax.

His United team were littered with mistakes in all three thirds of the pitch. They were neither proficient in attack nor solid in defence. A mutual exit was the best case for all parties involved. The manager took a well-deserved break and took time to decide on his next club.

Also Read: Who is Simone Inzaghi? Learn About His Transformative Tactics

Trophies and Achievements as a Manager

Erik Ten Hag’s reign at Ajax was filled with trophies. He won his first major trophy against Willem II in the KNVB Cup final in 2019. Merely 10 days later, he sealed his first league title. Another cup and league double followed in 2021. He was a victory in the cup final away from doing his third double in 2022, as he won the league.

Despite his troubles at Manchester United, he had the knack of winning crucial games. A Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United in 2023 highlighted his eye for silverware. The FA Cup success against Manchester City in 2024 was the least expected event by the club itself. They arranged a party haphazardly after winning the trophy.

Nevertheless, we expect Ten Hag to add more silverware at the Bay Arena in Germany soon.

Competition	Year
Eredivisie	2018/2019, 2020/2021, 2021/2022
KNVB Cup	2018/19, 2020/2021
Johan Cruyff Shield	2019
Carabao Cup	2023
FA Cup	2024

How Can Erik Ten Hag’s Tactics Transform Bayer Leverkusen?

Xabi Alonso achieved incredible success at Bayer Leverkusen. He helped them to their first-ever Bundesliga title. The club had a fantastic spree filled with youngsters and experienced professionals, and while the club managed to keep hold of all its assets last summer, this time around, it seems impossible. The Exodus began with Xabi Alonso moving to Real Madrid to replace Carlo Ancelotti. Star players like Jonathan Tah, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz are all expected to leave the club.

They are pretty much in need of a rebuild, and Erik Ten Hag was their number one candidate. The Dutchman is set to officially take over the club on 1st July 2025, and hopes to revive his career after a difficult spell at Manchester United. The first change we can expect at Bay Arena is Ten Hag’s favourite formation coming into play. Leverkusen have used a three-at-the-back formation under Alonso, so a change to 4-2-3-1 would be radical for them. Besides, losing a lot of star players would mean they have to get everything right in the transfer market.

Erik Ten Hag needs an assist as his previous signings were wide off the mark at United. The club would need a centre-back, a right-back, a left-back, a number 10 and two wingers to adapt to this formation. Assuming they get all the signings right, we expect Ten Hag to thrive in the Bundesliga. The league which plays high-intensity football will fall right into Ten Hag’s trap. His forwards can take advantage of high lines and large spaces available, with his defence being agile enough to deal with threats. He can lead them to another title race with Bayern Munich. The manager has to conjure something special to topple the Bavarians, led by Vincent Kompany.

Also Read: Who is Xabi Alonso? How Can His Tactics Transform Real Madrid?

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