Don't be surprised if Erik ten Hag goes to Juventus

Ten Hag has a chance to go to Juventus.

Remember, Erik ten Hag suddenly appeared in the stands of the Olimpico stadium on April 7, in the 1-1 draw between AS Roma and Juventus at the end of last season. The presence of the Dutch coach was at the invitation of the Roma leadership - who were then considering alternatives to Claudio Ranieri.

Juventus once targeted Ten Hag

At that time, rumors about the possibility of Ten Hag coming to lead Roma spread strongly. However, he did not only have his eyes on Roma at that time, but perhaps in his heart, he also looked towards Turin - where Juventus was also going through a period of instability at that time.

In fact, as early as March, Juventus considered Ten Hag as one of the bright candidates for the head coach position after deciding to part ways with Thiago Motta. Ten Hag, with his philosophy of ball possession, high pressing and the ability to rebuild the squad, was considered the person who could help Juventus shape a new identity. However, the Juventus board chose a safer solution by using Igor Tudor as a firefighting coach.

The reason is simple - Tudor is a "family member", having played for Juventus during their golden age and already understood the club's culture. In addition, signing a short-term contract with Tudor also helps Juve avoid financial constraints if the project does not go in the right direction. On the other hand, Ten Hag is still a name in the sights, but is not considered an immediate choice by Juventus.

Ten Hag watched the Roma 1-1 Juventus match at the Olimpico stadium on the evening of April 6.

Juventus under Tudor performed impressively at the end of last season and won 4th place and a ticket to the Champions League. With the flow, Juventus chose Tudor as the official coach for the new season.

In the end, Ten Hag didn’t go to Serie A, Roma or Juventus, but instead took charge of Bayer Leverkusen. It was a decision that many considered very risky, as Leverkusen were still in the rebuilding phase and under great pressure after the departure of Xabi Alonso. The two sides went in two different directions – and unfortunately, neither choice yielded the expected results.

Disillusioned find each other?

In Germany, Ten Hag only stayed at Leverkusen for… two rounds. The team had a terrible start to the Bundesliga, losing to Hoffenheim and drawing 3-3 with Werder Bremen despite leading 3-1 and having an extra man. They terminated the Dutch strategist’s contract early in early September. This quick departure made Ten Hag’s reputation, already tarnished by his turbulent time at Manchester United, even more precarious.

Meanwhile, Juventus under Igor Tudor was no better. Initially, the team showed new vitality thanks to the pressing and speed that Tudor brought. However, that excitement did not last long.

As October began, Juventus began to falter, lacking ideas and lacking balance in midfield. The defeat to Lazio at the end of October was the final straw – forcing the board to sack Tudor after a string of disappointing results, leaving Juventus eighth in Serie A.

Tudor failed at Juventus.

Now, as Juventus look for a new direction after a series of upheavals, the prospect of Ten Hag moving to Turin is once again being mentioned. The only difference is that Ten Hag, who had already lost value after being beaten down by the English media in Manchester, is now worth even less after his farce at Leverkusen.

However, if viewed from a tactical perspective, using Ten Hag at this time is not a step backward. The changes that Tudor has made in the past few months in charge have inadvertently paved the way for Ten Hag. Juventus's move from a slow style of play under Motta to a high-intensity, pressing style under Tudor can be seen as a reasonable stepping stone for a coach who prefers a proactive style of play like Ten Hag.

It can be said that, although they have never cooperated, Tudor has "prepared the ground" so that if Ten Hag one day comes to Turin, he will not have to start from zero. It is just that Juventus is willing to find someone who was fired twice within a year.

Source: https://znews.vn/dung-bat-ngo-neu-erik-ten-hag-den-juventus-post1597672.html