Spending time speaking to those who have been close to Erik ten Hag, the same themes continually crop up.
Workaholic, obsessive, deep thinker and winner are just some of the words used to describe Manchester United ’s next manager. What is clear is that nearly everything the Dutchman does is calculated.
On the touchline as his patched-up Ajax side took on PEC Zwolle, he showed little emotion. Instead, he watched intently, taking notes and clearly dissecting what he was seeing but giving very little away to the watching public.
It was the same in his post-match press conference. He handled questions with care and careful consideration, but gave away very little. Ten Hag is, by all accounts, a strong mind, a fiercely independent thinker and that comes across.
Read parts one and two of our special series on new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag below
He is willing to disagree and will not sway from his opinion. When asked questions on his star striker Sebastian Haller, who missed a golden chance prompting frustration from fans, Ten Hag was adamant his performance was strong. Rather than simply batting away the question in a non-committal manner, he is firm in arguing his view that Haller did his job.
With some of the reporters with whom he is more familiar, he engages in the occasional joke and is willing to engage, but he always keeps his distance. Nothing Ten Hag does seems to be by chance - every move he makes is formed via careful calculation.
“He’s a perfectionist and he can be very difficult to work with,” says Rene van den Berg, who covered Ten Hag extensively for local TV and radio during his time at Utrecht. “But every perfectionist is difficult to work with.
“He’s got his own style, his own way of working and he doesn’t have many friends amongst the journalists in Holland. He will answer your questions, but he won’t be close with journalists.”
It seems that is the key point with Ten Hag. He is a perfectionist and leaves no stone unturned. That means people are either with him or they aren’t, and those that aren’t will be kept at a distance.
Sources close to several of Ajax’s young players have told Mirror Football that Ten Hag runs a tight ship and is strict on aspects such as time-keeping and diet. But he is also an approachable figure and a good man-manager.
If players are willing to buy-in and play by his rules, then they will be repaid with his full time and effort. His attention to detail and tactical insight has got the best out of countless players over the years, so it is generally a buy-in which is beneficial for all parties.
Whilst batting off a question about how his team have dealt with news of his exit, Ten Hag said: “My players are always focused and that is what we demand. That is in our process.” It is a process which has worked for the vast majority.
Mario Been knows what it takes to be a top level player and manager in various countries. He played for the Netherlands in the 1980s and has managed Feyenoord, Genk and APOEL Nicosia as well as being assistant manager at Fenerbahce.
Nowadays, he is an ESPN analyst in the Netherlands and reckons Ten Hag’s intense methods with long training sessions may be a culture shock to some in England.
“I think in England they maybe train a different way to how we train in Holland,” he says. “And I think you must be very fit to play the way he likes. For a lot of players, it will be different work.
“He’s a strange type - he’s very above the situation, analysing every game very well,” he says. “He’s a workaholic, he likes to watch everything and know everything about the opponent. I think he has the capabilities to do a very good job in Manchester.
“He has to adapt to the type of players. I think with the right players he can play well, but also he’s a coach who needs some time to get somewhere. It’s not a case of one week and they get somewhere.”
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Part of the Ten Hag process involves blending the right characters. At Utrecht, that meant bringing in experienced faces - such as Edson Braafheid - to complement the young players he inherited.
At Ajax, he did similar with the likes of Daley Blind and Dusan Tadic returning from the Premier League. More recently, Davy Klaasen has been a revelation, as has Sebastian Haller, who was a previously a key part of his success at Utrecht.
For all the stories about Ten Hag’s tactical obsession - from cutting the Utrecht training pitch into squares to furnishing his living room with just two TVs faced by a sofa and a desk - he is equally invested in the human aspect of a football team.
“He evolved his philosophy, his way of diving into the human being and seeing what they’re like,” Braafheid says. “Everyone knows the talent and the quality of their players, but really diving into the person to see what they are about and how to bring the best out of that person? That’s hard, and that’s what Ten Hag does.”
Manchester United are in need of something new, fresh and original. Ten Hag clearly brings uniqueness and his own way of doing things.
It is noticeable how those who have encountered Ten Hag at every step of his journey are greatly unsurprised by his success. Whilst some watching from afar have questioned his credentials, those he has worked with have always seen someone destined for greatness.
From someone who played with Ten Hag on the playground in primary school to teammates at FC Twente and players he worked with at Utrecht, all of them recognised the qualities of the man who has climbed to the very top of Dutch football.
Dutch managers have, generally, flattered to deceive in the Premier League, but Ten Hag is his own man. He has rejected traditional patterns of Dutch play, such as the reliance on touchline-hugging wingers in a 4-3-3, and carved out his own identity.
Watching his Ajax side gave an insight into his thinking, from full-backs attacking the half-spaces with underlapping runs into the box to centre-backs Jurrien Timber and Daley Blind having the confidence to make attacking runs.
There is also a need to cover the ground and be flexible both in and out of possession. His way of playing is flexible, but core principles remain and might not necessarily suit some of the players he inherits at Old Trafford.
Those who are in his plans will be required to put in plenty of hours on the training pitch and live by strict rules. Whether he can impose those standards on the current Manchester United squad remains to be seen.
The general consensus is that Ten Hag’s revolution will take some time. It did at Utrecht, and it did at Ajax, but both reaped the benefits after a few months of adjustment. One thing that is clear is that Manchester United could scarcely have found a more committed man for the job.
