It was not only a mistake, but an extremely expensive mistake to bring in Dutch manager Erik ten Hag as a successor to Xabi Alonso who was brought to Real Madrid.
The former Manchester United manager cost the Germans a staggering sum in his short spell of just two months and three games.
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Erik ten Hag is costing Bayer Leverkusen a staggering sum every day after the payout is confirmed.
After only two Bundesliga games, the German giants have already decided to part ways with the former Manchester United boss.
Erik ten Hag’s reign started with a 2-1 defeat at home to Hoffenheim, before a dramatic collapse against Werder Bremen at the weekend. His team squandered a 3-1 lead against 10 men and ended in a 3-3 draw, after the home side scored the equalizer in the 94th minute.
According to SPORT BILD, there was an exit clause written into ten Hag’s contract, meaning that his departure will ultimately cost Bayer €100,000 per day.
Although it was a costly mistake by the club, the management can argue that it was preferable to tie the knot early on to avoid the situation deteriorating further.
What happened to Bayer Leverkusen this summer?
It was a summer of change for Bayer Leverkusen. After head coach Xabi Alonso left them for Real Madrid, they also saw several key players leave the club.
Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong went to Premier League champions Liverpool, while Amine Adli and captain Granit Xhaka also moved to England. Long-time goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky joined Monaco, while Jonathan Tah signed for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
Despite the exodus, Bayer Leverkusen reinvested heavily and spent 198 million euros.
That included the signings of Malik Tillman from PSV Eindhoven and Jarell Quansah from Liverpool.
What’s next for Erik ten Hag?
For ten Hag, his short stay in Germany is the latest setback in a breathless career. After stints with Go Ahead Eagles, Bayern Munich’s reserves and Utrecht, he was able to establish himself at Ajax.
There, he won three Eredivisie titles and led the club on a sensational run to the Champions League semi-finals, which included famous victories over Real Madrid and Juventus.
That success earned him the job as Manchester United manager, where he won the Carabao Cup in his first season.
An injury crisis disrupted his sophomore year, but he still won silverware with a sensational victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
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After another disappointing start to the season last year, he was dismissed by United’s new managers.
While his recent stay in Germany may be embarrassing for a coach of ten Hag’s calibre, it is unlikely to have a significant impact on his future prospects.
Ten Hag’s dismissal rounded off a tough week for former Manchester United bosses, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho lost their jobs in Turkey.
