Erik ten Hag Reflects on Data, Criticism, and the Rising Star Mainoo

As I step off the train in Enschede, a message lights up my phone. It's Erik ten Hag, ready to pick me up in his car. Even with my delayed arrival from Amsterdam, he greets me with a smile and a firm handshake. Driving in his silver Range Rover, Ten Hag has just wrapped up a busy day as FC Twente's technical director at De Grolsch Veste. He takes me on a scenic journey through the charming Dutch countryside, sharing stories about the region’s history. "The Germans were here during World War II, and later the English and Americans lived on the base of the military airport," he recounts. As a classic 1980s tune by Belinda Carlisle fills the car, Ten Hag reflects on how music has changed over the years. "Back then, it felt real; now everything seems to be computer-generated," he quips, clearly nostalgic for the past. Our conversation veers into a tragic event from 2000 that deeply impacted him while he was a player at FC Twente. A fireworks depot explosion claimed 23 lives and injured nearly a thousand, an incident that forever altered the community. "We were fortunate the blast didn't hit the propane tanks nearby; otherwise, the devastation would have been catastrophic," he says, recalling how close the training ground was to the disaster. Despite the chaos, the club insisted on playing their final match of the season the next day. Ten Hag, however, wasn’t shy to voice his discontent. "The club's leadership was angry with me for speaking out, but everyone now agrees: you can't play football when your city is burning," he explains, his conviction evident. In this candid discussion, Ten Hag opens up about his Manchester United tenure and beyond, including his brief and "strange" spell at Bayer Leverkusen. After Cristiano Ronaldo's departure in January 2023, he turned to his Dutch connections, bringing in Wout Weghorst from Burnley. Ten Hag believes Weghorst's off-the-ball work was pivotal in helping Marcus Rashford achieve a remarkable 30-goal season. "Wout contributed immensely; he really found his place here with us," Ten Hag says, highlighting the importance of teamwork. Weghorst’s versatility was showcased in a memorable Europa League match at Camp Nou, where he played as a No. 10, allowing Rashford to flourish and score. However, the season had its lows. Ten Hag recalls a crushing 7-0 defeat at Anfield. "We could compete with the best on our good days, but on our bad days, we struggled immensely. That day, we were too confident after winning the League Cup," he reflects. The turning point, according to Ten Hag, came during the Europa League quarter-finals against Sevilla. After taking a 2-0 lead in the first leg, the team faltered and lost 5-2 on aggregate. "We couldn't cope without Lisandro Martinez and Bruno Fernandes; their absence was felt deeply," he admits. Despite the setbacks, the season ended on a high note with 27 home wins, matching a club record. Ten Hag placed his trust in Fernandes by naming him captain, acknowledging both his strengths and weaknesses. "Fernandes has great game understanding and a drive to win, even if he can be a bit emotional at times," Ten Hag laughs. He allowed Fernandes the freedom to operate tactically on the pitch, believing in the players' ability to execute the game plan. "They always tried to implement what we practiced. I think they believed in our vision," he concludes, proud of the team's efforts during his reign.