"It was something special"- Manchester City icon defends under-fire Manchester United boss Ten Hag by highlighting his Ajax reign
Former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has defended Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag as he prepares to take his Burnley side to Old Trafford today (April 27).
The pressure is growing on Ten Hag as his Red Devils have stuttered this season. Their hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League are all but over and it's been an alarmingly dismal campaign.
Manchester United sit sixth in the league, 13 points off the top four with five games left. They face a Burnley side who are fighting a relegation battle and look likely to be playing EFL Championship football next season.
Kompany spoke ahead of his side's encounter with Ten Hag's men and was asked about the criticism his counterpart has received. The Manchester City icon recalled the Dutch tactician's reign with Eredivisie giants Ajax and dubbed it 'special' (via UtdDistrict):
"I’ve witnessed some of the best playing teams I’ve ever played against as a manager and that I’ve seen in my whole career. So when his team at Ajax were playing, it was something special. It wasn’t something you could attribute to a team of that age because they were really young or the financial resources; it was incredible."
Ten Hag spent five years in charge at the Johan Cruyff Arena and earned major plaudits before arriving at Manchester United. He guided the Amsterdam outfit to three Eredivisie titles and the UEFA Champions League semifinals in 2019. He oversaw 159 wins in 215 games with de Godenzonen.
Kompany insisted Ten Hag was at the same level as his former Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola while at Ajax:
"They were up there with the best teams I’ve ever seen play. You know most of those teams in recent times have been associated with Pep [Guardiola]. Of course, there were other managers as well. He was one of them, you know for sure."
Ajax were one of Europe's most exciting teams under Ten Hag. He implemented a possession-based brand of football that secured famous victories such as a 4-1 win away to Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League in 2019.
Ten Hag's stock was sky-high in Amsterdam and Manchester United secured his services in May 2022. He insisted earlier this season that he wouldn't try and bring the Ajax style to Old Trafford.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola suggested Manchester United's Ten Hag could succeed him
Guardiola has been the manager to beat in English football ever since arriving at Manchester City in July 2016. The Spanish coach has guided the Cityzens to five Premier League titles as well as many other honors including the continental treble.
Manchester United have plummeted during Guardiola's reign, rarely challenging for the title. The feeling around Old Trafford when Ten Hag arrived was that the Dutch coach could rival their noisy neighbors given his work at Ajax.
Guardiola admires Ten Hag and even hinted that he views him as a potential successor at the Etihad. The Manchester City coach said just a month before the Dutchman arrived at their cross-city rivals (via The Mirror):
"Are you asking me if Erik Ten Hag could be here? Definitely. A lot could be here and I think he could be one of the ones. For the way he approaches the game, definitely, definitely. I will say (it) to (director of football) Txiki (Begiristain) now!"
Ten Has has a year left on his contract at Manchester United but there is an expectation he'll be sacked this summer. Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel and Bologna manager Thiago Motta are the two favorites to succeed him, per Italian outlet Sport Italia.