Erik ten Hag has reportedly refused the membership of his goals simply two weeks after his extraordinary sacking by Bayer Leverkusen.
The Dutchman would somewhat preserve his meaty Bayer Leverkusen severance pay packet than settle for the chance provided – regardless of professing his ‘love’ for the membership.
He’s a free agent after he was sacked simply two video games into his Bundesliga odyssey with Bayer Leverkusen.
After leaving Manchester United final season, Ten Hag had hoped to revive his fortunes with a facet who claimed an unbeaten home double as lately as 2023-24 underneath Xabi Alonso.
However Leverkusen, so unimpressed by the 55-year-old, opted to sack him for round £4.3million somewhat than preserve him, with that determine reported by German outlet Bild. That severance payment, round £69,000 per day that he labored, is because of be paid over time however he would seemingly forfeit it if he took on a brand new gig.
And so Ten Hag has snubbed the prospect to take over at Eredivisie facet Twente of their hour of want, based on De Telegraaf.
Erik ten Hag has reportedly refused the job along with his ‘large love’: Twente within the Netherlands
Ten Hag got here by Twente’s youth system and captained the membership to cup glory in 2001
Twente are on the hunt for a brand new supervisor 5 video games into the season after a tricy begin which sees them floundering in thirteenth out of 18, simply two factors above the automated relegation spots.
The refusal might be further painful for Twente contemplating that Ten Hag is a boyhood fan and membership legend.
An academy graduate, he captained Twente to KNVB Cup glory in 2001, one in every of solely 3 times the membership have gained the trophy of their historical past.
He went on to play for them 262 occasions throughout three stints and when he got here up in opposition to them as United boss, he declared he had a ‘large love’ for them.
Ten Hag final managed in his homeland in 2022, when he completed up a profitable five-year stint with Ajax earlier than becoming a member of Manchester United.
He constructed his managerial popularity at Ajax, profitable three league titles and two Dutch cups and reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2018-19.
However it’s at Twente the place he grew to become the person he’s. His philosophy was closely influenced by his mentor and former youth-team coach Epi Drost, who died of a coronary heart assault aged 49 in 1995.
‘I usually assume again to my youth at Twente,’ mentioned Ten Hag. ‘Three boys have been so good they might have made it to the nationwide workforce. However one in every of them was significantly injured and two different boys died younger. It places every thing into perspective.
Ten Hag, third left within the center row, got here by Twente’s academy to play for the senior workforce
An outdated team-mate mentioned the previous Man United boss needed to return to Twente sooner or later
‘Epi Drost was my idol. He was a fan of adventurous soccer. He stimulated creativity, as a result of that was crucial factor to him. Epi died as a consequence of a cardiac arrest throughout a match. That was a large blow for me.’
Throughout his third spell as a participant at Twente an explosion at a fireworks warehouse in Enschede – the place the membership performs – killed 23 folks and left 950 injured. Lots of of houses have been additionally destroyed within the blast.
Ten Hag had later mirrored on his anger that Twente had been pressured to play a match simply sooner or later after the catastrophe.
The membership’s success within the KNVB Cup one yr later had been seen as important in serving to to convey pleasure to the realm.
‘Once I consider the cup ultimate, I consider the euphoria, the happiness, the feeling. It’s a prize that’s inextricably linked to the fireworks catastrophe,’ Ten Hag mentioned in a 2021 interview.
‘Twenty years later, the catastrophe remains to be delicate, it has left a crater within the metropolis and the aftermath remains to be palpable. With out eager to overestimate the significance of soccer, profitable the cup gave the town again some pleasure a yr after the catastrophe.’
Having retired as a participant in 2003, Ten Hag would pursuing his teaching ambitions on the membership, beginning out as an under-17 coach earlier than spending three years main the under-19 facet.
His rise by the ranks continued when he grew to become an assistant supervisor, a task he held when former England boss Steve McClaren took cost in 2008. He had left by the point Twente gained the title in 2008.
Ten Hag’s profession has been formed by his time at Twente each on and off the pitch
The Dutchman performed at centre again for Twente and performed for them 262 occasions
Ten Hag started his teaching profession at Twente and served as assistant to Steve McClaren
A former team-mate, Boudewijn Pahlplatz, advised the Manchester Night Information that Ten Hag had mentioned he needs to return to The Tukkers sooner or later.
However now they should wait till one other time for that.
