5 managers with most wins since Erik ten Hag became Ajax manager
After weeks and months of speculation, Erik ten Hag has finally been confirmed as the next manager of Manchester United. The Dutchman will replace interim manager Ralf Rangnick, who is set to move into the Director of Football role.
Erik ten Hag became one of Europe's most sought-after managers after his success with Ajax catapulted him into the limelight. The Dutchman is a follower of Johan Cruyff's "total football" ideology and cut his teeth in top-level management as an assistant to Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich.
Erik ten Hag brought back the glory days to Ajax
After losing the UEFA Europa League final to Manchester United in 2017 (the Red Devils' last major trophy), Ajax appointed Erik ten Hag to replace Peter Bosz. The Dutchman revolutionized the side's football by using youngsters like then-captain Matthijs De Ligt, Frenkie De Jong, and David Neres. He has remained in charge of the side ever since, before his efforts earned him the Manchester United job.
The Dutchman will have managed Ajax for five seasons when he departs, and he was among Europe's elite managers in that period.
With Ajax, Ten Hag managed to win a good number of games, with his tally matched only by a few managers in Europe.
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Official, confirmed. Erik ten Hag has been appointed as new Manchester United manager. He’s the man for the new era. 🚨🇳🇱 #MUFC
Official statement by Manchester United & Ajax confirms the agreement completed and signed. https://t.co/vIWlJOzLiE
Without further ado, here is a list of five managers with the most wins in football since 2017 when Erik ten Hag first took the Ajax job.
(Note: Only the top 10 leagues in Europe are considered for the list.)
#5 Thomas Tuchel (152 wins)
German manager Thomas Tuchel has been a good fit since joining Chelsea in 2021. Before that, however, he enjoyed a great deal of success with Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1, making a name for himself as a top tactician.
Tuchel has won 152 of 211 matches with Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea since 2017. The Chelsea manager was out of a job for a year between May 2017 and May 2018, during which he embarked on a sabbatical. He took the Paris Saint-Germain job in 2018 and remained in charge for nearly three years before moving to Chelsea.
Tuchel has won titles every season since 2018 and is one of Europe's most-respected managers. He is presently the UEFA Men's Manager of the Year, having led Chelsea to UEFA Champions League glory in 2021.
#4 Erik ten Hag (156 wins)
Erik ten Hag comes in at number four on this list after his exploits with Ajax. The Dutch manager developed some of Europe's finest talents at Ajax and enjoyed great success at the club. The likes of Dusan Tadic, Hakim Ziyech, Nicolas Tagliafico, Quincy Promes, and many others played brilliantly under his tutelage.
Ten Hag won 156 of his 210 matches in charge of Ajax, putting him in the upper echelon of managers in the club's history. The former Utrecht manager led Ajax to dominate Dutch football, winning the league and cup double in 2018-19 and 2020-21. He famously led Ajax to the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League in 2019 before his side went out on away goals against Tottenham Hotspur.
Erik ten Hag is one of Dutch football's most respected managers. He has been named Dutch manager of the Year on two occasions.
#3 Jurgen Klopp (161 wins)
Jurgen Klopp is one of the most respected and successful managers in Europe at present. The German manager has been at the helm of affairs at Liverpool since 2015, and has built one of the best teams in Europe over time.
Klopp has seen his Liverpool side win 161 of their 237 games with him as manager. The former Borussia Dortmund manager brought his own style and system and, like Erik ten Hag, revived the sleeping giant.
Under his care, Liverpool have won the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Carabao Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.
The German tactician won the FIFA Manager of the Year award on two occasions in 2019 and 2020.
#2 Sergio Conceicao (165 wins)
FC Porto manager Sergio Conceicao is one of Portugal's finest managers. The 52-year-old has led FC Porto to a great level of success in Portugal's Primeira Liga since his appointment in 2017.
Conceicao took over at the Estadio do Dragao in 2017 after leaving French outfit FC Nantes.
The Portuguese manager has managed to win the league twice and once domestic cup with FC Porto. He won the league in his first season in 2017-18 and 2019-20 before Sporting Lisbon dethroned his side in 2021. He has won 165 of his 233 matches in charge of FC Porto.
Sérgio Conceição is the first coach in the history of the Primeira Liga to reach at least 80 points in 5 straight seasons.
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Conceicao led FC Porto to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League in 2021 before his side lost to eventual champions Chelsea. The former Portugal international has been named the league's best coach on both occasions after his side won the title.
#1 Pep Guardiola (190 wins)
Manchester derbies are about to get their glory back as Erik ten Hag will be pitted against his former boss Pep Guardiola. Guardiola is regarded as one of the greatest managers ever in football due to his excellent record over the years.
Guardiola became Manchester City's manager in 2016 and has won 190 of his 252 matches for the club. The Spaniard has made his Manchester City side a nightmare to face and has dominated English football like no other manager before him.
Guardiola has won the Premier League thrice in five seasons in charge of the club and has won the League Cup four times. He came close to leading the side to a first UEFA Champions League title in 2021 when they lost to Chelsea in the final.