ERIK TEN HAG has been axed by Bayer Leverkusen following just 62 days at the helm.
The former Manchester United boss, 55, leaves Leverkusen having failed to win a league game in charge of the German side.
ReutersErik ten Hag has been sacked by Bayer Leverkusen[/caption]
Ten Hag was handed a two-year contract in May after being deemed the perfect successor to Real Madrid-bound Xabi Alonso.
But following an underwhelming start to the season, club chief Simon Rolfes opted to brutally pull the plug.
Leverkusen beat fourth-tier minnows SG Sonnenhof Grossaspach 4-0 in the DFB Pokal last month, only to then fall 2-1 at home to Hoffenheim in their Bundesliga opener.
A 3-3 draw with ten-man Werder Bremen last Saturday sealed Ten Hag’s fate – so how did it go so wrong for the former Old Trafford boss?
UNDER-PAR
Ten Hag’s Leverkusen reign got off to a miserable start in July, when the Dutchman took his side to Brazil for a pre-season training camp.
They took on Flamengo’s Under-20s, with the Brazilians’ first team seemingly otherwise engaged.
More remarkably still, the Black and Reds were thumped 5-1 by the Samba kids.
Leverkusen selected the likes of Granit Xhaka, Alex Grimaldo and Patrick Schick, as well as new signing Mark Flekken, but still found themselves trounced by their hosts.
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Upon the conclusion of his side’s 10-day South America tour, Ten Hag said: “I’ve been able to get a detailed picture of the players and their qualities.
“An intense time like here is very helpful for that, also to get to know the players and their personalities better. The team did what was asked of them. It was very hard and intense.
“We’ve laid a solid foundation. We also didn’t lose anyone to injuries. The spirit in the team is excellent, even after nine or 10 days of hard work.”
While claims of laying a “solid foundation” now seem questionable at best, Ten Hag did at least get to enjoy himself on the beach.
GettyTen Hag enjoys himself on the beach in Brazil[/caption]
GettyThe 55-year-old looked relaxed in his club tracksuit[/caption]
MASS EXODUS
Ten Hag walked through the doors at BayArena barely 12 months on from the club’s stunning Bundesliga title success under Alonso.
But in reality, the former United boss inherited a very different squad to the one that wrote their names into the history books.
Leverkusen began their summer by selling both Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz to Liverpool, while they also lost Jonathan Tah to Bayern Munich upon the expiry of his contract.
Speaking from Brazil, Ten Hag vowed of Grant Xhaka: “This club has lost three important players and we won’t lose more. Granit is a leader. He signed here for five years and still has three to go. He’s too important for us to sell him.”
Xhaka was promptly sold to Sunderland barely a week later.
Goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky subsequently headed to Monaco, while promising attacker Amine Adli was flogged to Bournemouth.
GettyGranit Xhaka signed for Sunderland against Ten Hag’s wishes[/caption]
AFPLeverkusen lost Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz to Liverpool[/caption]
PLAYER UNREST
Saturday’s calamitous 3-3 draw at Werder Bremen exposed the cracks already appearing in Ten Hag’s tenure.
Leverkusen appeared to be cruising on 63 minutes, as they were awarded a penalty while leading 2-1, with Werder defender Niklas Stark sent off in the process.
What followed was a frankly embarrassing scene, as Patrik Schick and Exequiel Palacios pathetically squabbled over who would take the kick.
Schick won the bratty row, only for his side to then collapse in even more humiliating fashion.
Isaac Schmidt brought the home side back into the contest on 76 minutes, before Abdoul Karim Traore delivered the dagger in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Following the late collapse, club captain Robert Andrich fumed: “Everyone played for themselves, everyone ran around the pitch on their own.
“We have too many players who are preoccupied with other things or only with themselves. I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced that at Bayer.”
Andrich then added: “The disastrous final phase was a symbol of our current situation.”
Shutterstock EditorialPatrik Schick squabbled with a team-mate over a penalty[/caption]
Shutterstock EditorialRobert Andrich didn’t pull any punches[/caption]
‘PAINFUL’ GOODBYE
Ten Hag called Saturday’s collapse “unacceptable”, but surely even he couldn’t have imagined that he’d be receiving his P45 barely 48 hours later.
But recent developments saw Leverkusen bosses lose faith in his ability to deliver their project.
Rolfes said: “This decision was not an easy one for us. Nobody wanted to take this step.
“However, the past few weeks have shown that building a new and successful team with this setup is not feasible.
“We firmly believe in the quality of our team and will now do everything we can to take the next steps in our development with a new setup.”
Club CEO Fernando Carro added: “A parting of ways at this early stage of the season is painful, but we felt it was necessary.
“We remain committed to achieving our goals for the season – and to do that, we need the best possible conditions at all levels and across the entire first team.
“Now it’s a matter of fully implementing and utilising these conditions again.”
AlamySimon Rolfes decided to pull the plug on Ten Hag[/caption]
PATen Hag lasted just two Bundesliga matches in charge[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
