Erik ten Hag plays down job done by Arne Slot at Feyenoord

With fellow Dutchman Arne Slot taking over at Liverpool, Man United manager Erik ten Hag has played down the job done by Slot at Feyenoord.

Coming off the back of a season in which Man United finished with a negative goal difference across 38 matches, Ten Hag has decided that “people have been going overly lyrical about Feyenoord.”

Speaking to Voetbal International, with quotes from the Mirror, he said that “Feyenoord were steady this year but not top.”

He then went on to compare the team’s performance with Eredivisie winners, Peter Bosz’s PSV, who finished seven points ahead of Feyenoord.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Tuesday, October 3, 2023: Manchester United's manager Erik ten Hag before the UEFA Champions League Group A match between Manchester United FC and Galatasaray S.K. at Old Trafford. Galatasaray won 3-2. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

“PSV Eindhoven were two classes better in all areas; in terms of dominating the ball, in terms of putting on pressure, in terms of intensity, you name it,” Ten Hag continued.

“Bosz and his staff did that top notch, but the rest of the club is also well put together. PSV Eindhoven were better than the rest by such a long distance, even so much better than Feyenoord.”

Feyenoord finished second this season but won the Dutch cup, beating Pep Lijnders’ former club, NEC Nijmegen, 1-0 in the final.

In Europe, they were knocked out in the group stage of the Champions League and lost to Roma on penalties in the subsequent Europa League play-off round.

 

Not Ten Hag’s first comments

READ HERE: Ten Hag thinks Slot faces easier job at Liverpool than he has at Man United

The Man United boss believes Slot has a better platform for success at Anfield than he had at Old Trafford which highlights how he feels about his job in Manchester.

“This is great for the Dutch trainers’ guild, and Arne Slot also fits Liverpool with his philosophy,” Ten Hag told vi.nl.

Jurgen Klopp and Pepijn Lijnders have left a strong foundation.

“He ends up in better waters than I did when I went to Manchester United from the Netherlands, in terms of structure in the club, in terms of balance in the squad.”

Ten Hag himself is expected to be removed from his job as Man United manager, despite his side’s victory over Man City in the FA Cup final last weekend.