‘They forget how brilliant he was’ – Bayer Leverkusen star delighted with Erik ten Hag appointment

Bayer Leverkusen’s appointment of Erik ten Hag could be another genius hire, according to one of their leading players. Nathan Tella, one of the key men from their unbeaten 2023/24 Bundesliga campaign, has told talkSPORT of his excitement over the hire. Ten Hag has returned to management with Leverkusen and the players are delightedGetty Ten Hag has the huge job of replacing Xabi Alonso, who won Leverkusen’s first league title last year, as well as the DFB-Pokal. Having been sacked by Manchester United in November, people quickly forgot the Dutchman’s two domestic cup wins at Old Trafford thanks to a dire Premier League campaign. However, with his replacement Ruben Amorim doing far worse, history may look differently on Teg Hag. Tella is certain that will be the case, particularly given the manager’s previous success at Ajax. “I think it’s cool, I’m happy with the club, we all trust the club to make the right decisions and it’s another one where they have made the right decision,” the Stevenage-born Nigeria international told talkSPORT. “Obviously people look at how his time was at Man United. “But they forget how brilliant he was at Ajax and we look at stuff like this. “I’m excited to go back to pre-season and work with him.” Ten Hag impressed in his Leverkusen unveiling, showing a strong grasp of German after his struggles with English. He learned that from a successful stint at Bayern Munich’s B-team under Pep Guardiola, but it was at Ajax where he really made his name. Ten Hag couldn’t stop winning at Ajax and even won two cups with UnitedGetty Tella’s backing Ten Hag to succeed at Leverkusen The 55-year-old won three Eredivisie titles in four full seasons, and was top in the other before the campaign was cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic. He won three other Dutch cups, and is best remembered for a famous run to the 2019 Champions League semi-finals. Ajax were minutes away from making the final with an incredibly youthful side before an late Tottenham comeback. Still – much like at United – history reflects well on Ten Hag in the Netherlands. His first Eredivisie title was Ajax’s first in five years and since he departed they’ve been miles off the pace. Chaos in the dugout and at board level has seen the team finish third and fifth before a shocking collapse this season. Ajax collapsed under Francesco Farioli who was the last coach unable to replicate Ten HagAFP Ajax had a nine-point title lead heading into the final five games of the Eredivisie season, but collapsed, allowing PSV to leapfrog them to the title. Ten Hag was linked with a return to sort out the mess, but instead has landed at the BayArena, much to Tella’s delight.

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‘They forget how brilliant he was’ – Bayer Leverkusen star delighted with Erik ten Hag appointment

Bayer Leverkusen’s appointment of Erik ten Hag could be another genius hire, according to one of their leading players.

Nathan Tella, one of the key men from their unbeaten 2023/24 Bundesliga campaign, has told talkSPORT of his excitement over the hire.

Ten Hag has returned to management with Leverkusen and the players are delighted

Ten Hag has the huge job of replacing Xabi Alonso, who won Leverkusen’s first league title last year, as well as the DFB-Pokal.

Having been sacked by Manchester United in November, people quickly forgot the Dutchman’s two domestic cup wins at Old Trafford thanks to a dire Premier League campaign.

However, with his replacement Ruben Amorim doing far worse, history may look differently on Teg Hag.

Tella is certain that will be the case, particularly given the manager’s previous success at Ajax.

“I think it’s cool, I’m happy with the club, we all trust the club to make the right decisions and it’s another one where they have made the right decision,” the Stevenage-born Nigeria international told talkSPORT.

“Obviously people look at how his time was at Man United.

“But they forget how brilliant he was at Ajax and we look at stuff like this.

“I’m excited to go back to pre-season and work with him.”

Ten Hag impressed in his Leverkusen unveiling, showing a strong grasp of German after his struggles with English.

He learned that from a successful stint at Bayern Munich’s B-team under Pep Guardiola, but it was at Ajax where he really made his name.

Ten Hag couldn’t stop winning at Ajax and even won two cups with United

Tella’s backing Ten Hag to succeed at Leverkusen

The 55-year-old won three Eredivisie titles in four full seasons, and was top in the other before the campaign was cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He won three other Dutch cups, and is best remembered for a famous run to the 2019 Champions League semi-finals.

Ajax were minutes away from making the final with an incredibly youthful side before an late Tottenham comeback.

Still – much like at United – history reflects well on Ten Hag in the Netherlands.

His first Eredivisie title was Ajax’s first in five years and since he departed they’ve been miles off the pace.

Chaos in the dugout and at board level has seen the team finish third and fifth before a shocking collapse this season.

Ajax collapsed under Francesco Farioli who was the last coach unable to replicate Ten Hag

Ajax had a nine-point title lead heading into the final five games of the Eredivisie season, but collapsed, allowing PSV to leapfrog them to the title.

Ten Hag was linked with a return to sort out the mess, but instead has landed at the BayArena, much to Tella’s delight.