Erik ten Hag has been sacked by Bayer Leverkusen after just two Bundesliga matches. This makes history, marking the fastest dismissal in league history. The former Manchester United manager, appointed in May, leaves after a disappointing start that produced only one point.
The Dutch coach became the third ex-United boss to lose his job in a week, following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Besiktas and Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce.
Leverkusen managing director Simon Rolfes said: “Nobody wanted to take this step. However, the past few weeks have shown that building a new and successful team with this set-up is not feasible.”
Poor Start and Record Exit
Ten Hag’s side lost 2-1 at home to Hoffenheim after leading 1-0. Then they collapsed against 10-man Werder Bremen to draw 3-3 despite holding 2-0 and 3-1 advantages. The poor results left the club with one point from two matches.
On 15 August, Leverkusen beat fourth-tier SG Sonnenhof Grossaspach 4-0 in the German Cup, but league form sealed Ten Hag’s fate.
Club CEO Fernando Carro added: “A parting of ways at this early stage of the season is painful, but we felt it was necessary. We remain committed to achieving our goals for the season – and to do that, we need the best possible conditions at all levels and across the entire first team.”
Squad Changes and Struggles
Ten Hag faced a tough rebuilding job after major departures, including Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool, Granit Xhaka to Sunderland, and Jonathan Tah to Bayern Munich.
Leverkusen spent heavily on reinforcements, signing Malik Tillman, Jarell Quansah, and Eliesse Ben Seghir for a combined £88.4m. But the integration failed to deliver immediate results.
Rolfes admitted: “This decision was not an easy one for us. 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 set-up.”
What’s Next for Leverkusen?
Assistant coaches will temporarily oversee training, with the club yet to name a permanent replacement.
Leverkusen, Bundesliga runners-up last season, face Eintracht Frankfurt on 12 September. Their Champions League group includes Manchester City and Newcastle, adding pressure to stabilise quickly.
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