Erik ten Hag
Bayer Sack Erik ten Hag After Just Two Bundesliga Games

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has been dismissed by Bayer Leverkusen only two league matches into the new season. The decision comes in the same week that fellow ex-United coaches José Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjær also lost their jobs at Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş respectively.

A Brutal End After a Full Transfer Window

Unlike Mourinho and Solskjær, ten Hag was given an entire summer to shape the squad. Yet Leverkusen’s board grew impatient after just three competitive games:

  • A routine cup win over Sonnenhof Großaspach (Regionalliga)
  • A disappointing defeat to inconsistent Hoffenheim
  • A 2–2 draw with Werder Bremen, despite playing with a man advantage and holding a two-goal lead

For a club that lifted the Bundesliga title only last season, such results felt unacceptable. Still, it is worth remembering that Xabi Alonso’s title-winning side was dismantled the moment he left for Real Madrid, with stars like Jonathan Tah, Florian Wirtz, Piero Hincapié, and Jeremie Frimpong all departing. Rebuilding in one transfer window was always an impossible task.

Signings Already Making an Impact

Not all of ten Hag’s work looked poor. New arrivals Jarell Quansah and Malik Tillman scored two of Bayer’s four Bundesliga goals so far. While goalkeeper Mark Flekken had a rough start, judging a number one after two appearances is hardly fair.

In fact, the “crisis” seems more manufactured than real. Alonso’s first three league matches in 2022/23 brought only four points, including a 5–1 hammering by Eintracht Frankfurt, a team that didn’t even finish in the top four that year.

Ten Hag: “It Was a Complete Surprise”

Speaking after his dismissal, ten Hag admitted the decision stunned him:

“The board’s decision this morning to sack me came as a complete
surprise. Parting ways with a coach after only two league games is
unprecedented. I felt our relationship was never really built on
mutual trust.”

According to Sky journalist Florian Plettenberg, the Dutchman clashed with almost everyone at the club. Sporting director Simon Rolfes summed it up in one word: inefficient.

Reputation Problem for Ex-United Coaches

Ten Hag’s dismissal makes Bundesliga history as one of the fastest sackings ever. Like Mourinho and Solskjær, his reputation is weighed down by the baggage of Old Trafford. The once-brilliant Ajax mastermind has found it difficult to escape the shadows of Manchester United, where every former manager’s image seems tainted.

What’s Next for Bayer?

Reports suggest Bayer are eyeing Xavi Hernández, who recently left Barcelona. The idea of appointing another young, visionary midfielder-turned-manager feels familiar, echoing the Xabi Alonso project. But is repeating the same formula really the right move?

Published by Patrick Jane
02.09.2025