Premier League managers expressed their sympathy for Erik ten Hag after he was sacked by Manchester United on Monday.
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Premier League managers react to Ten Hag firing
United sacked Erik ten Hag as manager following Sunday’s 2-1 Premier League defeat to West Ham United, ending his two and a half reign at Old Trafford.
The 54-year-old leaves with the club 14th in the Premier League table.
Liverpool coach Arne Slot described his compatriot’s dismissal as “a pity”, considering he led United in the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.
“He is a Dutch manager so that makes it even harder for me, for us as Dutch people,” Slot told a news conference on Tuesday. “Always your first thoughts are with the person. We are all in this job so we know that it can happen but if it happens … Especially because I know him a little bit and I know how much work he puts into it, and then to get this news for him is of course a pity.”
“But we also know, especially us coming from Holland, how well he did at Ajax and that he won two trophies over here so we will see him I think in the near future at a big club again, but at this moment for him and his family it’s of course … Tragedy is maybe a bit too much to say but it’s a big disappointment.”
Meanwhile, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admitted he felt “sorry” for Ten Hag, but acknowledged that pressure on top-level managers is part of the game.
“I feel sorry for him,” he said on Tuesday. “I don’t see architects, doctors, teachers who get the sack, people expect results from us”
“If I didn’t get results I wouldn’t be here, it is a business. you have to take results.”
“Always sad to see one of our colleagues lose his job”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said that he was sad to see Ten Hag’s tenure with United come to an end.
“It’s always sad to see one of our colleagues lose his job,” he said. “I think he’d done a really good job, he’d won titles there, he’d changed a lot of things. He’s a phenomenal coach and it’s difficult.
“Unfortunately when these things happen, the exposure we have as managers, we are always in the line. Especially when you look at the game, how they lost it, it was incredible. But they made the decision and I wish him all the best for his new chapter.”
Not shocked
However, Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou thought that Ten Hag’s exit was “almost inevitable.”
“Not really shocked… As disappointing as it was, it was almost inevitable with the scrutiny he’d had so, yeah, it’s just the nature of football these days.”
United announced that Rudy van Nistelrooy will take over on an interim basis.
