What Went Wrong for Erik ten Hag at Bayer Leverkusen? Bild: "Everything"
Just two matches into the Bundesliga season, Erik ten Hag has been dismissed by Bayer Leverkusen—and according to a damning report from German outlet BILD, the reasons for his shock exit are numerous and deeply concerning.
Ten Hag’s tenure, which many hoped would bring tactical discipline and European pedigree to the BayArena, appears to have unravelled from the inside almost immediately. BILD outlines a list of internal issues that reportedly led to his early sacking:
- Breakdown in relationships: The Dutchman reportedly clashed with nearly everyone at the club—even staff members he had personally brought with him from abroad.
- Transfer interference: Ten Hag allegedly attempted to dictate transfer strategy, pushing for players represented by the agency he is affiliated with, raising conflict of interest concerns.
- Questionable training methods: His insistence on fitness drills such as push-ups being as important as ball work left players confused and frustrated.
- A toxic environment: The atmosphere within the squad was described as “ice cold,” with morale reportedly at rock bottom.
- Lack of tactical clarity: Perhaps most damning of all, players were said to be “clueless” about their roles and responsibilities during matches, leaving the team disjointed on the pitch.
According to BILD, Bayer had already considered firing Ten Hag earlier, but hesitated—possibly hoping the situation would improve. It didn’t.
The former Manchester United boss, who once led Ajax to a Champions League semi-final, now finds himself at a career crossroads. What was meant to be a fresh chapter in the Bundesliga has quickly turned into a case study in how quickly things can go wrong at the top level of modern football.
