Bayer Leverkusen Insiders Slam Erik ten Hag as 'Worst in 20 Years' after Shock Firing: What Really Happened

German tabloid BILD has been the loudest voice on Erik ten Hag’s crash landing at Bayer Leverkusen. Beyond reporting the dismissal itself, BILD pieces and roundups of its reporting claim that long-serving employees at the club privately debated the worst coach of the past 15 to 20 years, with Ten Hag ranking near the top as an overall package. That framing caught fire on social media and fan forums and is now shaping the conversation. It is a stark claim, and it comes alongside BILD’s detailed criticism of his brief tenure, from a poor friendly in Brazil to a lack of spark in team talks. 

The official line from Leverkusen’s hierarchy gives the spine of the story. Sporting director Simon Rolfes told BILD that the team lacked clarity in roles and direction, that the club felt the process was moving the wrong way, and that an early break was fairer than letting the situation drift. The dismissal was communicated on Monday at the BayArena, after only three competitive games under Ten Hag. 

Results that broke confidence fast

The sacking was confirmed across major outlets after only two Bundesliga matches. Ten Hag’s side lost the opener to Hoffenheim and then threw away a two-goal and man advantage at Werder Bremen in a 3 to 3 draw. That collapse, with a late equaliser conceded, crystallised doubts about structure and in-game control. Reputable reporting in England characterised the exit as a brutal, historically short tenure that exposed a fractured team dynamic. The picture was of a coach who could not stamp a plan on a reshaped squad. 

The raw timeline matters. Ten Hag took over in the wake of seismic change, replacing Xabi Alonso, and did so amid heavy turnover in the squad. The early football was panned as disjointed. German analysis flagged non-existent pressing patterns and muddled opponent preparation. The consequence was that performances did not buy patience, which is a cruel reality at a club that expects a top-four return to the Champions League. 

Behind the scenes, the chemistry never formed

BILD’s post-mortem lays out the internal issues as club leaders saw them. It says Ten Hag kept distance from the hierarchy at key moments, publicly pushed to keep Granit Xhaka after an internal agreement that a sale could happen under the right conditions, and failed to deliver a fiery opening address before Hoffenheim.

More damaging in the daily work, the staff felt the coach and his rebuilt backroom team did not project unity, while players left meetings unsure of tasks on the pitch. Rolfes’ public comments about missing clarity and orientation echo that assessment. 

Reporting in the English press added texture. The leadership issues showed up in penalty taker squabbles, early criticism from dressing room leaders, and a wider sense that Ten Hag arrived without the authority to reset standards after Alonso’s era. 

Put simply, when your predecessor is adored and your first weeks bring mixed messaging and flat football, your margin for error is thin. It could be a case of unfair judgment here, having lost almost 4-5 first-team players like Frimpong, Jonathan Tah, Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka, and Boniface, and getting sacked within two games might be very harsh on the German. 

Is he truly the “worst in 20 years,” or is this spin