Erik ten Hag’s FC Twente years – ‘He always thought he knew better than the coach’

“‘He was always the best. He was always a big mouth. He was a little Johan Cruyff with the mouth (giving instructions to team-mates during matches). He was always thinking he knew things better than us.’  Leon ten Voorde is speaking about his childhood friend Erik ten Hag, now the Manchester United manager, whose team on Wednesday face FC Twente, where he spent 23 years as a player and then coach. Ten Hag’s love of football started with playground games with Ten Voorde in their hometown of Haaksbergen. Situated 10 miles away from the city of Enschede where FC Twente are based, its people are proud Tukkers. A Tukker is not only a regional distinction for those in the east of the Netherlands, but also a description of a particular way of life. …”
NY Times/The Athletic