Erik ten Hag has broken his silence on his shock Bayer Leverkusen sacking after just three games, accusing the club of not ‘trusting’ him in a withering statement.
Ten Hag was brutally shown the door on Monday morning in the fastest dismissal in Bundesliga history despite only being appointed as Xabi Alonso’s successor on a two-year deal in May, and he has admitted to being shellshocked by the decision.
Leverkusen were held to a 3-3 draw with Werder Bremen at the weekend, squandering a two-goal lead against 10 men and conceding a 94th-minute equaliser.
The 55-year-old took charge of just one home game, a 2-1 defeat by Hoffenheim in their opening league fixture. A week earlier, Ten Hag’s side beat fourth-tier opponents Sonnenhof Grossaspach 4-0 in the first round of the DFB-Pokal.
The club’s chief executive, Fernando Carro, said the axing was ‘necessary’ while admitting parting ways with the Dutchman so early into his spell was ‘painful’.
Issuing a response via the SEG agency, Ten Hag did not pull his punches.
Erik ten Hag has responded to his shock Bayer Leverkusen sacking with a brutal statement
Ten Hag was shown the door after just three games and believes the club didn’t ‘trust’ him
Leverkusen let a two-goal slip against 10-man Werder Bremen, conceding a last-gasp leveller
His bombshell statement read: ‘The decision by Bayer Leverkusen’s management this morning to put me on a leave of absence came as a complete surprise. To part ways with a coach after just two league matches is unprecedented.
‘This summer, many key players who were part of past successes left the squad. Building a new, cohesive team is a careful process that requires both time and trust.
‘A new coach deserves the space to implement his vision, set the standards, shape the squad and leave his mark on the style of play.
‘I started this job with full conviction and energy, but unfortunately the management was not willing to grant me the time and trust I needed, which I deeply regret.
‘I feel this was never a relationship based on mutual trust. Throughout my career, every season I have been able to see through to the end as a coach has brought success. Clubs that placed their trust in me have been rewarded with success.
‘Finally, I would like to thank the Bayer Leverkusen supporters for their warmth and passion, and I wish the squad and staff success for the remainder of the season.’
Since Ten Hag’s arrival, Leverkusen have sold a number of first-team players, including Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool and Granit Xhaka to Sunderland. Jonathan Tah and Lukas Hradecky have also departed.
Leverkusen’s managing director, Simon Rolfes, said: ‘This decision was not an easy one for us. Nobody wanted to take this step. However, the past few weeks have shown that building a new and successful team with this setup is not feasible.
The job was Ten Hag’s first since being dismissed by Manchester United in October
‘We firmly believe in the quality of our team and will now do everything we can to take the next steps in our development with a new setup.’
Leverkusen had been Ten Hag’s first job since being dismissed by Manchester United last October. He became the third former United manager to be sacked in the space of a week, after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Besiktas and Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce.
