Erik ten Hag criticised for repeating Man Utd phrases at Bayer Leverkusen

He didn’t get off to the best of starts at Leverkusen but started picking up some momentum in pre-season. Erik ten Hag spoke before their season opener against Hoffenheim about how the team had developed since he took over.

In response, he again used “I’m not Harry Potter” as a way of explaining that things take time and brought up that familiar term “process.”

He explained [via De Telegraaf]: “I’m a manager and I know how to manage processes. You can’t force processes. That’s impossible. No one is like Harry Potter and can build a team so quickly and be successful at the same time. That’s not how top-level football works. You need a period to build a team.”

The word “process” became his fallback whenever questions arose about why things weren’t improving under his leadership during his stint at United.

The phrase also came up when fans wondered why Manuel Ugarte hadn’t been given more chances early on, with Ten Hag insisting it took time for players to adjust.

But with Ugarte not seeing much playing time, questions were raised about how he would ever settle into league play – an issue that still seems to be affecting him now.

Why Ten Hag’s message isn’t resonating

Saying “miracles” shouldn’t be expected, even after two years in the job, didn’t sit well with supporters who were already questioning his leadership.

Ten Hag’s reluctance to acknowledge problems within the team was part of what turned fans against him at Old Trafford. Many felt like they were being misled into believing things were better than they really were.

He’s only been at Leverkusen for a few months, so asking for patience is understandable at this stage, and there’s some truth to what he’s saying.

But that same defensive tone that Manchester United fans grew tired of could quickly wear thin with Leverkusen supporters as well.

Openness and transparency can go a long way in building trust between a manager and the fan base. It often gives managers more time when results aren’t immediate.

It’s ironic that Ten Hag keeps asking for patience while speaking in a way that alienates supporters – the very group whose backing can buy him more time.

If he doesn’t start delivering soon, his lack of media savvy might become just as big an issue as results on the pitch.