Former Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink has claimed that Erik ten Hag’s decision to surround himself with friends in his backroom staff played a role in his downfall at Manchester United, offering a rare outside perspective on the Dutchman’s troubled spell at Old Trafford.
Softfootball gathered that Hiddink shared his thoughts in a conversation with Voetbal Primeur, suggesting that Ten Hag’s approach to building his coaching team may have isolated him within the club’s wider culture.
Speaking on the subject, Hiddink explained:
Everyone does things differently, but I was surprised by how many friendly staff members Erik has gathered around him. So you end up on an island, which makes it harder to integrate into the culture of your new club and exposes you to suspicion.”
He contrasted that approach with his own philosophy when managing abroad:
I took only one assistant abroad, with whom I could deal with football-related matters. For the rest, I chose local coaches and supervisors, people who knew the club or the country well.
