The Premier League’s battle of Dutch coaches is fascinating fans at home and abroad, and one man who knows them thoroughly has now had his say.
Manchester United’s Erik ten Hag was the solo Netherlands representative in English dugouts until this season, when he was joined by countryman Arne Slot at Liverpool.
With just three games played in the course of the 2024/25 campaign the pair have already met, within the league at Old Trafford.
Slot’s men recorded a convincing 3-0 win to proceed their perfect start making it three from three away at one in every of their biggest rivals.
The result piled loads of pressure on his opposite number who had already lost within the previous game against Brighton, and is starting his third campaign as United boss.
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That backdrop, and the contrasting form, is seeing Slot be compared favourably to Ten Hag, and one man who knows plenty about their pasts isn’t surprised.
Speaking at a conference in Lisbon, Eredivisie CEO Jan de Jong didn’t sound to looking forward to the previous Ajax manager.
“I believe Ten Hag began thoroughly, but as Louis van Gaal said, Manchester United are a really difficult team to guide today,” he said.
“I believe Ten Hag also has that problem, but he’s a technical trainer at a really high level.”
De Jong was way more effusive on Slot though, quickly changing the conversation to praise the ex-Feyenoord man.
“But..” he continued. “Arne Slot is something special.
“He may be very intelligent, speaks superb English and he understands the sport very, thoroughly.
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“So I believe he might be a sensation. You never know, but he has every little thing it takes to grow to be one in every of the best coaches of his era.”
Slot joined the Reds with what many considered a near-impossible task, replacing the legendary Jurgen Klopp after nine years of revolution.
Nevertheless, despite such a small variety of games, the pressure is up to now subsiding on Slot, with Liverpool the one team within the division yet to concede a goal.
Ten Hag, meanwhile, is facing serious questions after one other summer of heavy backing within the transfer market but little changing on the pitch.
The 54-year-old has an FA Cup and League Cup to his name at Old Trafford, but went through a disruptive summer where United’s recent management group reportedly interviewed multiple other candidates for his job.
All eyes might be on Ten Hag when United travel to Southampton at 12.30pm on Saturday, Continue to exist talkSPORT, while Liverpool will hope to proceed their winning start at home to Nottingham Forest later within the day.
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