Erik Ten Hag

Erik Ten Hag: biography

Erik ten Hag is a Dutch football coach and former player who currently serves as a manager of Premier League club Manchester United.

Childhood and youth

Erik ten Hag was born on February 2, 1970, in Haaksbergen, Netherlands. He grew up playing football and eventually joined the youth academy of FC Twente, a professional football club based in Enschede. He played for FC Twente's youth teams until he turned 18 years old, and then joined the club's senior team.

Football career

Erik ten Hag started his football career as a defender for amateur club RKSV Gavc in his hometown of Haaksbergen. He then moved on to play for FC Twente's youth academy, where he became a professional player in 1990. He played for the club for six years, making over 150 appearances and helping them win the KNVB Cup in 1997.

In 1996, ten Hag was called up to the Netherlands national team for a friendly match against Ghana, but did not make an appearance. He retired from playing professionally in 2002, after spending two seasons with De Graafschap.

Managerial career

After ending his playing career, Erik ten Hag started his managerial career in 2012 as the head coach of Go Ahead Eagles in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football. In his first season, he led the team to the playoffs, but they were eliminated in the first round. However, he managed to guide them to the top of the league the following season, securing promotion to the Eredivisie.

He moved to FC Utrecht in 2015 and led them to the Europa League play-offs in his first season, but they were eliminated in the semi-finals. In his second season, he led the team to the fifth position in the Eredivisie and reached the final of the KNVB Cup, where they lost to Feyenoord.

In December 2017, he was appointed as the head coach of Ajax Amsterdam, one of the biggest clubs in the Netherlands. He took over from Marcel Keizer, who was sacked after a poor start to the season. Ten Hag led the team to a second-place finish in the Eredivisie in his first season and reached the final of the KNVB Cup, where they lost to Feyenoord again.

However, he enjoyed his greatest success in the 2018-19 season, where he led Ajax to the Eredivisie title and the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Ajax knocked out Real Madrid and Juventus en route to the semi-finals, where they were eliminated by Tottenham Hotspur in the final minutes of the second leg. Ten Hag was widely praised for his tactical approach and his ability to develop young players, which was exemplified by the performances of Matthijs de Ligt, Frenkie de Jong, and Donny van de Beek during that season.

Ten Hag continued to impress in the 2019-20 season, where Ajax won the Eredivisie title again, and reached the round of 16 in the Champions League. However, their campaign was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the cancellation of the remainder of the season. Despite losing key players such as de Ligt and de Jong, Ten Hag managed to rebuild the team and guided them to another title in the 2020-21 season.

Under Ten Hag's leadership, Ajax has become known for their high-pressing and possession-based playing style, which has earned them praise from fans and pundits alike. His success at Ajax has also led to him being linked with managerial jobs at bigger clubs, including Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur. However, he has stated that he is happy at Ajax and focused on continuing to build a successful team.

Personal life

Erik ten Hag is known to be a very private person, and he doesn't often share details of his personal life with the media. However, it is known that he is married and has three children. His wife's name is Bianca ten Hag, and they have been together for many years.

In interviews, ten Hag has mentioned that his family is very supportive of his career, and they often attend his matches to cheer him on. He has also mentioned that he enjoys spending time with his family during his free time, and he values their support and love.

Outside of his family life, ten Hag is also known to be an avid reader and a student of the game. He is constantly studying tactics and strategies, and he has been known to spend long hours analyzing game footage and preparing for upcoming matches. In addition, he is also a fan of music, and he enjoys listening to a variety of genres.

Overall, while Erik ten Hag keeps his personal life relatively private, it is clear that he values his family and his interests outside of football.

Honors

As a player:

• FC Twente
• KNVB Cup: 2000–01
• Ajax
• Eredivisie: 2003–04
• KNVB Cup: 2005–06
• Johan Cruyff Shield: 2005, 2006

As a coach:

• Go Ahead Eagles
• Eerste Divisie: 2012–13
• Ajax
• Eredivisie: 2018–19, 2020–21
• KNVB Cup: 2018–19
• Johan Cruyff Shield: 2019, 2021