If we take a look at the philosophy of Pep Guardiola and Erik ten Hag, the former Ajax coach looks to have a lot in common with the Barcelona coach. Ten Hag has been compared to Guardiola as he values defense as much as his creative midfielders. That makes him an intriguing target for FC Barcelona. But before we look at the similarities, let’s look at some differences.
Erik ten Hag has learnt a lot from Pep Guardiola
Ten Hag was accused of imitating Guardiola’s philosophy during his time as assistant manager at Bayern Munich. However, the Dutchman denied any implication that he had imitated the philosophy and style. Guardiola’s style has been admired for its attacking spirit and Ten Hag said that he had taken a lot from the first team manager. In a recent interview, he revealed that he has adopted some of Guardiola’s tactics.
The former Ajax and Barcelona midfielder worked under Guardiola at Bayern Munich where he benefited from his attacking style. It is this philosophy that he has taken with him to his own club. However, he has to deal with the limited personnel available at Old Trafford. Erik Ten Hag has learnt a lot from Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich and he believes he has adopted the same approach with Manchester City.
The Dutchman joined Guardiola’s coaching staff as a youth coach in 2013. During his time at Bayern, he led the side to Regionalliga Bayern title in 2013/14. The team also featured young players Steeven Ribery, Tobias Schweinsteiger and Julian Green. He spent two seasons with the side before returning to his native Netherlands and taking over the management of FC Utrecht in the Eredivisie.
The Dutchman took advice from Pep Guardiola in the process of acquiring the Manchester United job. Having watched Guardiola’s first season at Bayern Munich, ten Hag has listened to his manager’s advice and applied it to his own managerial style. He wants his team to play attacking football and respond well to the demands of the manager. This means that Erik ten Hag will have a huge task at Old Trafford.
He values defense as much as his creative midfielders
If Pep Guardiola and his team don’t understand the importance of defense, Ten Hag certainly does. Ten Hag values his defense as much as his creative midfielders, giving defensive players more control and power. The Dutch coach once said that playing football is easy, but the complexity of making efficient systems is what makes it difficult. The same holds true for a team with a good defense.
At FC Barcelona, Ten Hag radically changed the club, introducing digressions to the hierarchy and demanding that changes be made to the team’s structure. While he faced considerable resistance when he first took over, his tactical principles have proved their worth. The Frenchman has a strong pedigree and has the ability to manage change, crisis and stability. He is a natural leader, but he has also demonstrated his willingness to give his players freedom.
Despite the fact that he is an excellent coach, ten Hag still needs to find the right balance between the two. Bayern’s attack depends heavily on defending and having creative midfielders that know their roles. And Ten Hag values defense as much as his creative midfielders at Bayern Munich. But how can he achieve this balance? By integrating a solid defensive line with attacking midfielders, he can create an exciting game that he can control.
With the right combination of players, ten Hag can create a formidable attacking unit, with plenty of creativity and quality. Defenders have a huge role to play in a team and are often overlooked. Having an excellent back line ensures that they can protect the goals of his midfielders. Likewise, a strong striker is crucial for the team’s success.
He could be a transfer target for FC Barcelona
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has been pursuing former Ajax midfielder De Jong since he took over at Old Trafford. The two have played together for Ajax in the past and could step up efforts to sign the Dutch international to the Premier League. However, De Jong has indicated his desire to remain at Barcelona and next week could be the decisive moment for United to convince him otherwise.
However, despite his interest in a move to Barça, the Netherlands international has been linked with Manchester United. While the club’s manager is aware that a deal would take time, he is keen on making sure the deal doesn’t end up in a lengthy saga. The 25-year-old is not averse to the idea of joining Barcelona, but has also expressed his desire to play in the Champions League.
The Netherlands international has been linked with a move to Barcelona, but his attitude is a key reason for his rejection. The Spanish club rejected the PS53m bid from Manchester United, which makes a transfer to Barcelona unlikely. De Jong stated in a May interview that he preferred to stay in Spain. Despite this, it is clear that the Dutchman has the potential to become a major player for the Catalans.
Manchester United have long been interested in signing the Dutchman but a pre-match power cut has thrown a wrench in their plans. Although the United players have been in contact with Barcelona, there has not been any deal made yet. The Dutchman also has an engagement to his girlfriend Mikky Kiemeney and the two are planning to start a business in Pedralbes.
He has a similar philosophy to Pep Guardiola
Interestingly, Erik ten Hag has the same philosophy of football as Pep Guardiola, who is now the manager of Manchester City. The two managers are both known for their meticulous attention to detail, which is evident from their game plans. When ten Hag led the Go Ahead Eagles to promotion last year, he would check the pitch height before every game to ensure that there would be no obstructing obstructions to the ball.
After he was appointed as an assistant coach to Guardiola in 2013, Ten Hag was considered the next candidate for the Bayern job. His team won the Regionalliga Bayern last season, the fourth tier of German soccer. Players on the team included Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Julian Green, and Steeven Ribery, the younger brother of Bastian Schweinsteiger. After completing his time at Bayern Munich, Ten Hag returned to the Netherlands to manage Eredivisie side FC Utrecht. The new manager was expected to have a similar philosophy to Guardiola, but he is not able to watch his training sessions as Pep does.
Erik ten Hag developed his tactical nous as a reserve coach at Bayern Munich, where he worked alongside Pep Guardiola. Ten Hag admitted that he was influenced by Guardiola’s style, and drew from the Spaniard’s philosophy to make his first coaching job a success. Ten Hag’s philosophy is similar to Guardiola’s, and he was drafted to Bayern Munich by Guardiola.
Ajax has been a very successful side under Ten Hag. The club won the Eredivisie and two Cups under Ten Hag, without sacrificing their traditional values of attacking football. In the 2018/2019 Champions League, Ten Hag guided Ajax to the semi-finals, where they won the trophy. In addition to his success with the first team, Ten Hag is a student of Johan Cruyff, and he uses a 4-3-3 formation to his advantage.
He believes it is possible to end the dominance of Manchester City and Liverpool
The new manager of Manchester United has vowed to end the reign of the two English powerhouses, with a team that can compete with them. He unveiled his team on Tuesday night at Old Trafford. Ten Hag was once a reserve team manager at Bayern Munich and is familiar with the demands of working at a top club. He believes the club can challenge the two top sides and win the Premier League.
The new manager of Manchester United, Erik ten Hag, believes it is possible to end the dominance that Manchester City and Liverpool have enjoyed in English football. Liverpool and City finished third last season, while United finished sixth. Liverpool won the Premier League and the domestic cups, and they will lift the Champions League on Saturday if they beat Real Madrid. United were one point shy of the top spot and qualified for the Europa League the following season.
Manchester City and Liverpool have been the two best teams in the Premier League for the last five years, but United have never won the Premier League title. Liverpool have only won the league once, but Ten Hag is confident they can break that duopoly. He outlined a “huge plan” to restore the glory days at Old Trafford. However, he conceded that the results will have to be quick.
