Erik ten Hag’s tenure at Bayer Leverkusen ended almost as abruptly as it began. On Wednesday, the Dutch manager released a pointed statement after the club announced he had been placed on leave, effectively sacking him just two games into the Bundesliga season.
“The decision by Bayer Leverkusen’s management to put me on a leave of absence came as a big surprise,” Ten Hag said. “To part ways with a head coach after just two league matches is something absolutely unprecedented.”
Ten Hag, who joined Leverkusen this summer following his turbulent stint at Manchester United, framed the move as premature. He pointed to a summer of upheaval, with many of the players central to Leverkusen’s recent success departing the squad. “Building a new team is a careful process that requires both time and trust,” he said.
The 54-year-old suggested that trust was never fully present. “I feel this was never a relationship based on mutual trust,” he added, noting that previous clubs who allowed him to see projects through were rewarded with trophies.
Leverkusen’s swift decision underscores the unforgiving pace of modern football, where short-term results often outweigh long-term vision. Ten Hag insisted he began the job with “full conviction and energy,” but lamented the lack of patience from the club’s hierarchy.
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In his farewell, he reserved kinder words for the fans. “I would like to thank Leverkusen supporters for their warmth and passion, and I wish the squad and staff every success for the remainder of the season.”
For Leverkusen, a club that has flirted with success but often fallen short, the choice to cut ties so quickly signals a desire for immediate stability. For Ten Hag, whose reputation rests on building projects over time rather than instant fixes, it is another reminder of how little room football allows for long-term planning.
Whether his exit will prove rash or justified remains to be seen. But for now, Ten Hag’s Leverkusen chapter has closed before it ever had the chance to unfold.
