BERLIN: Bayer Leverkusen sacked manager Erik ten Hag on Monday after just two Bundesliga matches in charge and said letting the coach stay on would have been “an even bigger mistake”.

Fired by Manchester United last October, Ten Hag signed a contract until 2027 in May, taking over as the successor to Xabi Alonso, who moved to Real Madrid.

But the Dutchman had to contend with the sale of a handful of the Leverkusen stars who won the Bundesliga title in 2024 and his new team have struggled in the first few games of the new season.

Leverkusen lost their opening league game 2-1 at home to Hoffenheim to put Ten Hag immediately under pressure, and Saturday’s 3-3 draw against 10-man Bremen brings an end to his short reign at the club.

Speaking with German media on Monday, Leverkusen Sporting Director Simon Rolfes said the team lacked “clarity and direction” under Ten Hag and the decision was made “independent of the results” of Leverkusen’s early matches.

Rolfes admitted to a mistake in hiring Ten Hag, telling reporters: “When you bear responsibility, you also make bad decisions. But if you believe it’s not working, it’s an even bigger mistake to let it continue.”

The sporting director said Ten Hag was “surprised and disappointed” with the news.

Ten Hag is the first manager in Bundesliga history to take charge of a side in the close season and lose his job two league matches into the new campaign.

Ten Hag is not the only former Manchester United manager to lose his job in recent days, with Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer parting ways with Turkish clubs Fenerbahce and Besiktas respectively.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2025