How Erik Ten Hag is Revolutionizing Manchester United

Chill Studios
4 min readMar 4, 2023

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Introduction

Erik Ten Hag is a Dutch coach who has been with Manchester United since February 2019. Before joining the club, he was manager of Ajax and also coached their youth team.
Erik Ten Hag is known for his modern style of play and emphasis on possession-based football. He has won several domestic titles with both Ajax and Bayern Munich, as well as Europa League trophies with both teams as well.

Ten Hag’s Early Career

Ten Hag’s early coaching career began with a stint as an assistant coach at FC Utrecht, where he helped the team to promotion from the second tier of Dutch football. He then took over as head coach in 2013 and guided them to their first ever Eredivisie title.
Ten Hag’s success continued when he joined Ajax Amsterdam in 2016, leading them to two consecutive league championships before taking charge of Manchester United this summer.

Ten Hag’s Move to Manchester United

Ten Hag’s appointment was a surprise to many, but it makes sense when you consider the Dutchman’s philosophy. Ten Hag has been a proponent of playing with one striker and two wingers since his time at Ajax, which is a departure from Manchester United’s traditional 4–3–3 formation.
The former midfielder also prefers an aggressive style of play that relies heavily on pressing high up the pitch and winning back possession quickly after losing it. This approach requires players who are comfortable with ball control under pressure, so expect him to look for players who can keep possession while being pressed by defenders or make quick passes when they’re under pressure themselves (think Paul Pogba).

Tactical Revolution

Ten Hag’s tactical flexibility is a major reason for his success. Ten Hag has been able to adapt his system to suit the players at his disposal, and has shown a willingness to change formations based on the opponent.
In addition, Ten Hag’s possession-based football allows United to control games more effectively than they have in years past. The Dutchman prefers not just passing the ball around but also playing through the middle of opposing defenses with short passes that lead into longer ones downfield or into space behind defenders for teammates who can run onto them (this is known as “verticality”). This style of play requires patience from players who must wait for openings before making their runs forward or receiving passes from teammates; however, it also keeps opponents under pressure throughout matches because there are always options available if one route fails — something which should come naturally for most Manchester United players given their experience playing under Jose Mourinho over recent seasons.

Youth Development

Ten Hag’s youth academy has produced some of the best young players in Holland. The U19s won their league and cup competitions last season, while five players from that team were called up to play for the first team. This is a testament to Ten Hag’s ability to develop talent, which he will need if he wants Manchester United’s academy players to succeed at Old Trafford.

Transfers and Recruitment

In the transfer market, Ten Hag has been a shrewd operator. In his first season at the club, he signed five players for a combined cost of €30 million ($33 million). That figure pales in comparison to Manchester United’s outlay on Harry Maguire alone this summer (€80m/$92 million).
Even more impressively, Ten Hag has managed to build an effective squad from scratch while also integrating academy products into his starting XI. Promising young players like Tahith Chong and Mason Greenwood have made their debuts under his watch; both have featured prominently in preseason friendlies so far this summer.

Results and Performances

The results speak for themselves. In his first full season in charge, Ten Hag led Ajax to their first Eredivisie title since 2014 and the club’s first domestic double since 2004. The Dutch giants also reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 1996 under his guidance, with many pundits tipping them as one of Europe’s most exciting teams going forward into next season’s competition.
The performances have been similarly impressive: Ten Hag has overseen an attacking style of play that has seen Ajax score more goals than any other side in Europe this season (excluding PSG). They rank second only behind Barcelona in terms of possession percentage and third for pass accuracy; but perhaps most importantly, they’ve kept clean sheets at home against both Real Madrid and Juventus — two teams who were expected by many to reach this year’s final at least — while conceding just three times across six matches against Atletico Madrid (twice), Tottenham Hotspur and Borussia Dortmund too

Conclusion

Erik Ten Hag has been a breath of fresh air for Manchester United. He has changed the way they play and has put them back on track after their disappointing season last year.
The Dutchman has also brought in some new players who have helped improve the team’s performance significantly. His impact on the club cannot be overstated; he has completely revolutionized it from top to bottom!
With this in mind, we can safely say that if you want your business to succeed then hiring an Erik Ten Hag would be one of the best decisions you could make!

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