5 days after his exit from Manchester United was confirmed, Erik ten Hag returned to the world {of professional} soccer by attending a match within the Dutch high flight.
Ten Hag was one of many 11,912 spectators in attendance at Heracles’ Asito Stadion on Saturday, watching on as a brace from Brian De Keersmaecker earned the hosts a 2-0 victory over NAC Breda in an underwhelming conflict.
The Dutch supervisor was sacked by United on Monday, lower than 24 hours after a wasteful and controversial 2-1 loss to West Ham United. Power inefficiency in entrance of objective proved to be Ten Hag’s undoing in the long run, though there have been loads of downside areas throughout his eventful two years within the Previous Trafford dugout.
Ruud van Nistelrooy was appointed as Ten Hag’s assistant over the summer season and can bridge the hole between his former boss and the incoming Ruben Amorim till November’s worldwide break. The interim head coach revealed that Ten Hag had been “upset” and “damage” by his dismissal, which got here lower than two months after the membership’s new chief govt Omar Berrada declared: “We’re absolutely backing him.”
Within the aftermath of his unceremonious exit, Ten Hag returned to the Netherlands. Saturday’s mid-table bout between Heracles and NAC Breda was the closest top-flight conflict to his hometown of Haaksbergen, representing lower than a 30-minute drive.
Ten Hag’s much-cherished former membership FC Twente, who held their ex-manager and participant to an embarrassing Europa League draw at Previous Trafford in September, have been taking part in Willem II away from house this weekend.
Ajax have been additionally in motion on Saturday night time, internet hosting PSV Eindhoven in some of the glamorous fixtures of the season. Ten Hag spent four-and-a-half years answerable for the Amsterdam giants, main them to 3 top-flight titles and a Champions League semi-final. Regardless of this deep-rooted connection, the personal and wounded head coach opted to keep away from the brilliant lights of the Johan Cruijff ArenA.
