LEVERKUSEN, Germany (AP) — Erik ten Hag lasted three games at Bayer Leverkusen.
The Dutch coach was fired on Monday after doubts emerged in Leverkusen over the former Manchester United manager’s ability to oversee the German team’s successful rebuild after a summer exodus of key players.
“This decision wasn’t easy for us,” Leverkusen sports director Simon Rolfes said in a statement. "Nobody wanted to take this step. But the last few weeks showed that building a new and successful team with this set-up could not be achieved effectively. We firmly believe in the quality of our team and will now do everything in our power to take the next steps in our development with a new constellation.”
Leverkusen was beaten 2-1 at home on Ten Hag’s Bundesliga debut by Hoffenheim, then squandered a two-goal lead to allow 10-man Werder Bremen grab a 3-3 draw on Saturday.
Kicker magazine had already reported on Thursday before that second league game that Leverkusen’s management were having second thoughts about Ten Hag’s work.
“A parting at an early stage of the season is painful, but it was necessary from our point of view,” Leverkusen chief executive Fernando Carro said.
The 55-year-old Ten Hag was appointed as Xabi Alonso’s replacement in May and was entrusted with managing a massive overhaul of the squad that had won the Bundesliga in 2024.
Ten Hag warned earlier this month that he was no magician and that it would take time to get Leverkusen performing as a true team again after its summer of changes.
“You can’t force the process. It’s impossible. No one is like Harry Potter,” Ten Hag said before his debut at fourth-tier team Sonnenhof Grossaspach in the German Cup.
Leverkusen ultimately won that game 4-0, but it struggled and only got the second goal after Grossaspach had a player sent off, then the next two after the amateur side had another player sent off.
Ten Hag had previously used the Harry Potter line in his time at United.
Following a loss to Liverpool in September 2024, Ten Hag said he was no Harry Potter while explaining the difficulties of relying on players who hadn’t much game time. Less than two months later, he was fired.
Leverkusen gave no indication of a possible successor for Ten Hag. The team's next game after the international break is at home against in-form Eintracht Frankfurt on Sept. 12.
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The Associated Press
