Former Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has spoken about his next job – four months since leaving Old Trafford
Erik ten Hag has revealed that is NOT going to return to management until at least the summer and admitted he is going to use this period to ‘look in the mirror’ and ‘reflect’ on his time at Manchester United.
Ten Hag was sacked as United’s head coach in October after almost two-and-a-half years in charge. After he replaced Ralf Rangnick in May 2022, Ten Hag guided United to success in his first season, helping them win the Carabao Cup and finish third in the Premier League table.
However, Ten Hag’s second season was almost a disaster. They suffered their lowest-ever Premier League finish (eighth), crashed out of the Champions League at the group phase, and exited the Carabao Cup in the fourth round. But Ten Hag saved his job by winning the FA Cup. After that, he signed a two-year contract extension and there was optimism that the Dutchman could turn their fortunes around.
Unfortunately for Ten Hag, United made a difficult start to this season and club officials made the decision to sack him following a 2-1 defeat at West Ham. They decided to appoint Ruben Amorim as his replacement after Ruud van Nistelrooy’s time as interim head coach came to an end.
Since leaving United, Ten Hag has stayed quiet. He had been linked with the Borussia Dortmund vacancy last month but missed out on the role with Niko Kovac taking over.
Now, Ten Hag has spoken about about his potential next job after leaving United – and he is not considering taking another managerial role until the end of the season at the earliest.
Speaking in an interview with SEG Stories, Ten Hag said: “I stopped playing football at 32, and three weeks later I was head of training. I then spent 22 years, 365 days a year, only working on football.
“In this industry, you never have a day off. Every summer, every winter, you just keep going. Always busy. With your team, with your club, with transfers.
“You are busy with current affairs – the next match is always the most important – but at the same time also with the long term. I really have the energy for it, I am a busy guy, but the downside is a poor social life. I notice that now. It is a choice, are the consequences of your profession. You miss birthdays, parties, but also difficult moments.
“My hands are not itching yet. I’m not going to do anything until July 1st anyway. That’s actually the first time, yes. It’s mainly a period of looking in the mirror. I have peace for that now.
“Looking back on the last few months, but also looking back on 22 years in this world. I use this period for reflection and am also working on refining my working method: my game model.
“How is a selection put together, what are the profiles, do I need to refining that, do I need to add new elements and what consequences would that possibly have… No, that’s not obsessive, I call that passionate.”
