Erik ten Hag is a Dutch head coach who has managed Ajax, FC Utrecht, FC Bayern 2, Go Ahead Eagles and Manchester United as well as being the assistant manager at PSV Eindhoven and FC Twente.
His playing career was largely spent in the Netherlands too at clubs like FC Twente and De Graafschap.
His managerial stint at Ajax from 2017 to 2022, where he won three Eredivisie titles and two Dutch Cups, attracted the attention of the Manchester United board.
On April 21, 2022, he was confirmed as the fifth permananent manager at Old Trafford since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.
He ended the club’s six-year wait for a major trophy when they lifted the Carabao Cup in February 2023 before leading them to a top-three finish and Champions League qualification.
However, a miserable second season blighted by injuries and faltering form saw United exit Europe after the group stage and finish eighth in the Premier League, their worst ever return.
They did beat rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final to temper that but made a disappointing start to the 2024/25 season.
Ten Hag was sacked on October 28, 2024, following defeat by West Ham which left the club in 14th place in the Premier League.
Ten Hag's professional playing career lasted from 1989 to 2002.
It started at FC Twente until 1990 when he moved to De Graafschap where he stayed for two years before he returned to FC Twente.
It also included spells at RKC Waalwijk and Utrecht. In a cyclical manner, his finished at Twente. He played primarily as a centre back and won the Eerste Divisie with De Graafschap and the KNVB Cup with Twente in his final season and year of playing.
He retired at the relatively early age of 32, at the end of the 2002/03 season, and stepped into manager role at Twente U17s.
His first job as a manager came at a place of familiarity, FC Twente, and he led their Under-17 and Under-19s before he was made assistant manager of the senior team in 2006.
He landed his first senior role at Go Ahead Eagles in 2012, a club he led back to the Eredivisie after a 17-year absence.
However, he left Go Ahead Eagles to go to Munich and work at Bayern Munich 2. This coincided with Pep Guardiola being the manager of the first team.
It was not until 2015 that he returned to Dutch football with Utrecht, who he took into the Europa League.
Despite this, it was at Ajax where he made his name as the manager that nearly reached the UEFA Champions League final but throughout their run, dazzled and entertained with players such as Dusan Tadic, Frankie de Jong, Donny van de Beek and Matthijs de Ligt.
Their dismantling of Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu was a particular highlight alongside their win over a Juventus team that contained Cristiano Ronaldo.
His first trophy with the Dutch club came in 2019 when he won the KNVB Cup by beating Willem II in the final. They also claimed the Eredivisie in the same season too.
In January of 2022, he broke a record by becoming the quickest manager to 100 wins, doing so in 128 matches.
Ten Hag arrived at Manchester United in the knowledge that the club had faltered and floundered over recent years, both on and off the pitch, epitomized by the signing of tired players, board mistrust and consistent failings in the Premier League and Europe too.
After a sticky start, where Manchester United lost 2-1 to Brighton and 4-0 at Brentford, ten Hag soon turned things around at the club improving the culture, quality and results at Old Trafford.
In February 2023, he steered Manchester United to their first major trophy since 2017 and ended their longest trophy drought in 40 years by beating Newcastle 2-0 in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, where Casemiro's header and a Sven Botman own goal settled things.
They also finished third and reached the FA Cup final in a promising first campaign for Ten Hag.
But a poor, injury-hit second season in the hot seat, where they finished eighth in the table - their lowest finish of the Premier League era., heaped pressure on the Dutchman.
United finished 2023/24 with their first negative goal difference of the Premier League era after conceding 58, another unwanted club record, and scoring only 57.
A report on the eve of the FA Cup final claimed the club had decided to fire him regardless of the result at Wembley.
However, Ten Hag’s side shocked neighbours Manchester City, with Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo scoring in a 2-1 win that sealed FA Cup glory.
The following season didn't begin well and on October 28, 2024, Ten Hag was dismissed after Manchester United suffered their fourth Premier League defeat of the season at West Ham, which saw them drop to 14th in the table.
Manchester United had won only one of their last eight games in all competitions and had drawn all three of their Europa League games against FC Twente, Porto and Mourinho’s Fenerbahce.
With 70 wins from 128 games in charge, Ten Hag’s 54.7 per cent win record is actually the second-best of any United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement – behind only Jose Mourinho’s 58.3 per cent.
Ten Hag's influences include Pep Guardiola, a man he worked with at Bayern Munich and with whom he will be enemies of in Manchester.
Erik Ten Hag's net worth was reportedly around $4million in 2022.
The international break is a good opportunity for Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag to figure out his best XI, according to former defender Viv Anderson.
Manchester United's Omar Berrada has insisted Erik ten Hag has full backing from him and the club, reaffirming he's the right man to lead them forward.
Erik ten Hag has insisted Casemiro can still be vital for Manchester United, despite subbing him off at half-time in the damaging 3-0 loss to Liverpool on Sunday.
Erik ten Hag says he would not be surprised if Manchester United claim more trophies this season.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag admitted his feelings are "mixed" about Scott McTominay's impending transfer to Italian club Napoli.
Manchester United are set to sign PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte after reaching an agreement in principle.
Manager Erik ten Hag says Manchester United need to show a more ruthless side after being beaten 2-1 by Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday.
