Bayer Leverkusen’s sporting director, Simon Rolfes, expressed that the club recognized early on that they were headed in the wrong direction under former coach Erik Ten Hag. Ten Hag, previously the manager of Manchester United, was dismissed after just two Bundesliga matches, marking the quickest managerial departure in the league’s history.
In discussions with AFP and other media outlets, Rolfes emphasized that the decision to part ways with the Dutch coach was a difficult but necessary one. “If you sense you’re off course, it’s best not to wait until it’s too late,” he explained. “If the fit isn’t right, it’s best to go separate ways.”
Ten Hag, who was let go by Manchester United in October 2024, had joined Leverkusen until 2027 as the successor to Xabi Alonso, who had transferred to Real Madrid. Rolfes mentioned that he had conversed with Alonso over the phone as Ten Hag’s tenure was unraveling.
Leverkusen suffered a significant 5-1 defeat to Flamengo’s under-20 team in a pre-season friendly in Brazil during Ten Hag’s debut game in charge. Rolfes described the loss as unfavorable. Ten Hag’s brief Bundesliga spell included a home loss to Hoffenheim and a 3-3 draw against 10-man Werder Bremen, despite initially leading 3-1 with a numerical advantage.
Rolfes indicated the importance of a coach providing stability to players and felt this was lacking under Ten Hag’s leadership. The decision to part ways with Ten Hag swiftly was aimed at avoiding prolonged poor results, according to Rolfes.
Following Ten Hag’s departure, Leverkusen has been on an unbeaten streak, securing three wins and three draws across all competitions, propelling them to fifth place in the Bundesliga standings.
Rolfes, aged 43, also expressed confidence in former Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz’s abilities to overcome challenges at Liverpool, deeming his move from the Bundesliga to the Premier League as the right choice. Despite Wirtz’s goalless and assist-free start in nine Premier League and Champions League appearances for Liverpool, Rolfes highlighted that Wirtz has been the most creative in terms of chances created in the Premier League post-transfer.
Rolfes attributed Wirtz’s struggles to Liverpool’s team dynamics, emphasizing that as the team solidifies, Wirtz’s performance will improve. He affirmed his belief that Wirtz possesses the qualities to evolve into a dominant footballer in due course.