Erik ten Hag will take his Manchester United side to Tottenham in Thursday’s Premier League action – his first trip to the stadium since the North London club turned him down at a job interview.
The Dutchman was in the running to be the permanent Spurs boss in the summer of 2021 but lost out in the running, with the club eventually appointing Nuno Espirito Santo. The Portuguese boss was far from successful in the role, winning just eight of his 17 games at the helm.
Nuno was sacked from his post in November 2021 and replaced by Antonio Conte, who himself was dismissed from his post last month. Conte’s assistant Cristian Stellini took the position but after the weekend's 6-1 humiliation at Newcastle, he was dismissed – with Ryan Mason stepping into the role.
Spurs fans cannot be blamed for wondering why Ten Hag was not appointed when they had the opportunity to do so almost two years ago. The Dutchman, a serial winner at Ajax domestically also enjoyed impressive returns on the European stage.
Ten Hag has hugely impressed in his debut campaign at Old Trafford. He led United to the EFL Cup trophy in February – the club’s first piece in major silverware for six seasons – while also guiding the Red Devils into the FA Cup final.
The Dutchman has also overseen several impressive European displays, including eliminating runaway La Liga leaders Barcelona in the Europa League playoff round, while United are on track for a top-four finish and a return to Champions League football next season.
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Yet Ten Hag was rejected by Spurs two years ago for two main reasons. As per the Telegraph, it was not just language concerns that the North London club had over the coach but they also believe that they lacked charisma.
Spurs have made a series of slightly strange Premier League appointments in recent times including that of Nuno, while big-name moves for Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte eventually ended negatively either side of that.
Ten Hag’s style of play stands in contrast to the trio of reactive Spurs managers, with the United boss saying after the victory over Barcelona in February: "I like dynamic football. I like speed. I don't like boring football. I like football that entertains the people - and you do that with speed."
