Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag has landed himself in trouble with fellow Dutchman Arne Slot, who is all but appointed as the new Liverpool manager for next season. The Ajax boss has been outspoken about the Feyenoord boss’ achievements and the way he goes about his business. Ten Hag’s comments have been portrayed as envious and bitter in the Netherlands.
It’s developed into a spat between the two and shows the cut-throat nature and the levels of pressure managers of top-flight football operate under.
Ten Hag Questions Slot’s Achievements
Ten Hag appeared to have a pop at the general acclaim of Slot’s achievements at Feyenoord, who won the Eredivisie and took the club to the Europa Conference League final. The Manchester United manager said that Feyenoord’s achievements should not be overrated as it was just “a steady” Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven under Peter Bosz were “two classes better in all areas.”
These comments from Ten Hag are an effort to play down Slot’s achievements, especially as he had a lower budget at Feyenoord than the budget made available to him at Ajax during Ten Hag’s tenure.
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Dutch Pundits Slam Ten Hag’s Comments
The comments from Ten Hag unsurprisingly drew a fiery response from Dutch soccer expert Hugo Borst, who slammed the Manchester United manager as “precious” and “jealous” of Slot’s success. Borst reminded Ten Hag that Slot won a league title and reached a European final with a smaller budget than the one he had at his disposal during his time at Ajax.
Borst also called out Ten Hag for “hypocrisy” because, during his time at Ajax, he played down the importance of cup competitions, but this season he celebrated Manchester United’s FA Cup win as a major success.
Rivalry and Pressure in Elite Football
The spat involving Ten Hag and the Dutch pundits certainly shows how managers are under intense pressure in modern-day elite football. Slot will become the new manager of Liverpool, arguably Manchester United’s biggest rival, and so Ten Hag’s comments have been seen as an attempt to gain a psychological advantage over his fellow countryman.
It also shows the intense rivalries and egos which often clash in the cut-throat world of top-level football. Managers are under the spotlight at every given opportunity and the slightest comment or criticism can cause controversy.
With the new season just around the corner, the fallout between Ten Hag and Slot will certainly add to the already fierce rivalry between Manchester United and Liverpool.
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