Erik ten Hag is yet to return to management since leaving Manchester United but could yet make a controversial comeback.
Manchester United sacked Erik ten Hag in October, wielding the axe after a disappointing start to the season.
United haven’t exactly improved since Ten Hag’s exit though and he may well point to that when new suitors come calling.
Ten Hag left United sitting seven points adrift of the Champions League places and the gap was just four points when Ruben Amorim took over.
That gap now stands at 15 points with United struggling for consistent results under Amorim.
Ten Hag loves to point to his trophy record at United but will argue to potential employers that the club have actually gone backwards since his exit.
Erik ten Hag leaves door open to controversial comeback
United fans may not agree with that notion but Ten Hag will be building his case ahead of a return to management.
Borussia Dortmund have overlooked Ten Hag but a return to the Netherlands may yet be in the works.
Feyenoord recently parted ways with Brian Priske as the Dane wasn’t able to build on Arne Slot’s outstanding work.
A move would be controversial given Ten Hag’s fees to bitter rivals Ajax, but Feyenoord’s interest in Ten Hag was reported last week.
Voetbal International now provide an update, suggesting that Ten Hag’s Ajax history is ‘no obstacle’ to a deal in Rotterdam.
The rivalry between Ajax and Feyenood is so fierce that even Johan Cruyff received abuse from his own Feyenoord fans after arriving from Ajax, as noted by The Guardian.
Feyenoord aren’t concerned though and are understood to have spoken to Ten Hag – and he hasn’t actually closed the door on a controversial move to De Kuip.
Ten Hag doesn’t want to take a job right now though and may be looking towards the summer for his next role.
Whether Feyenoord can wait that long remains to be seen but there were discussions over Rene Hake arriving alongside Ten Hag.
Hake left United after Ten Hag’s exit and is yet to return to football, so joining up with Ten Hag again in the future makes sense.
Hake was targeted by West Bromwich Albion but no deal was done, leaving Feyenoord to explore him coming in as an assistant to Ten Hag.
Rekindling that United partnership may well happen somewhere, but whether it’s Feyenoord depends on just how desperate the Eredivisie side are for a new manager right now.
Robin van Persie mentioned for Feyenoord
Ten Hag may not ended up at Feyenoord but another former United man is being mentioned too.
Voetbal International suggest that Heerenveen boss Robin van Persie has some support inside Feyenoord.
Van Persie is a true Feyenoord legend; Rotterdam-born, a product of the Feyenoord academy and a fan favourite across two spells as a player.
The former United striker began coaching with Feyenoord in 2020 and took his first managerial job last summer with Heerenveen.
The results so far are mixed; Van Persie and Heerenveen sit ninth in the Eredivisie, perfectly in mid-table.
10 defeats in 23 games alongside just 27 goals scored suggest that Van Persie still has a way to go before taking a job as huge as Feyenoord – and that may just leave Feyenoord waiting for Ten Hag after all.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/bQOnkS9