Premier League managers back Ten Hag after sacking

Premier League managers have expressed their support for Erik ten Hag, urging him to “come back stronger” after he was sacked by Manchester United on Monday. The Dutchman, 54, was dismissed by the Old Trafford hierarchy following a 2-1 defeat against West Ham, which left the club ranked 14th in the Premier League. Portuguese club Sporting has confirmed that Manchester United has approached them regarding head coach Ruben Amorim and is prepared to pay his release clause of 10 million euros (£8.3 million). Ten Hag received sympathy from various managers, including Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and Liverpool’s Arne Slot. Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou stated that he was not surprised due to the intense scrutiny surrounding the role. “I’m so sorry for him. I have an incredible relationship with him. He represented United at the highest level in terms of behavior,” said Guardiola. “Being a football manager is one of the few professions where people expect you to be sacked. You don’t see this happening with architects, doctors, or teachers. It’s only in our profession, and we have to accept it. I wish him all the best; he will come back stronger. He understands that our jobs depend on results. If the results are not good enough, you will be let go. I’m speaking from experience—I’m not immune to this reality.” Liverpool manager Slot shared that losing his compatriot made the news “even harder,” but echoed Guardiola’s sentiments, expressing confidence that Ten Hag will be successful again in the future. “Your first thoughts are always with the person affected. We all know this can happen in our profession, but when it does—especially since I know him a bit and understand the hard work he puts into it—it’s unfortunate to hear this news about him. We are all aware, especially those of us from Holland, of how well he performed at Ajax and the trophies he won, so I believe we will see him again at a big club soon.” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed sadness over Ten Hag’s departure, noting, “I think he has done a really good job and changed a lot of things. I wish him all the best in this new chapter.”