Potential Shift in Dutch Football Leadership: Ten Hag’s Future

Erik ten Hag may very well become the new head coach of the Netherlands national football team, even though he was recently appointed as the technical director at FC Twente. This development raises eyebrows.

In a column for De Telegraaf, former footballer Wim Kieft shared his thoughts on the situation surrounding the national team, as recorded by Valentijn Driessen. He questioned whether Ronald Koeman will serve as the head coach for his final assignment during the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. If that is the case, who should succeed him? A recent odd turn of events may have provided an answer.

Kieft expressed reservations about Ten Hag’s potential leadership of Dutch football. He stated, “There are indeed some doubts. Things did not go smoothly at Manchester United, and Bayer Leverkusen was quite taken aback by what they witnessed from him as a coach. During his time at Ajax, he had a very strong squad, yet it seemed he demanded an excessive amount of credit.”

Kieft advised the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) to quickly provide clarity on the coaching situation. “Everyone benefits from transparency. Making a decision now should not create unrest in the lead-up to the World Cup. Koeman is a strong personality and maintains a good rapport with all his players. However, the challenge for the KNVB is that there are, aside from the mentioned names, hardly any suitable candidates available.”