New Delhi, Sep 1 (IANS) Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen have dismissed manager Erik ten Hag after only two matches in charge of the new season, the club announced on Monday.

The Dutchman, who replaced Xabi Alonso in May after the Spaniard was appointed by Real Madrid, leaves the club after presiding over a draw and a defeat in his brief tenure.

“Bayer 04 Leverkusen have parted ways with head coach Erik ten Hag with immediate effect. This decision was made by the shareholders’ committee, the supervisory body of the club, on the recommendation of Bayer 04’s executive management. Training duties will be temporarily handled by the assistant coaching staff,” the club said in a satement.

Leverkusen currently sit 12th in the Bundesliga table. The club said in a statement that its assistant coaching staff will temporarily assume training duties until a permanent successor is identified.

The decision comes in the wake of a frustrating 3-3 draw against Werder Bremen at the weekend. Despite Bremen being reduced to 10 men in the 63rd minute following a red card, Leverkusen failed to capitalise on their advantage. Instead, they conceded a stoppage-time equaliser from Abdoul Karim Koulibaly, sparking discontent among supporters and raising doubts about ten Hag’s suitability to lead the side.

“This decision was not easy for us. No one wished for this step. However, the past few weeks have shown that building a new and successful team with this setup cannot be carried out effectively. We firmly believe in the quality of our team and will now do everything possible to take the next steps in development in a new configuration,” said Simon Rolfes, Sporting Director

Ten Hag arrived in Germany with a strong pedigree. He enjoyed a glittering spell at Ajax, winning three Eredivisie titles and guiding the team to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019, where they famously defeated Real Madrid and Juventus en route. His success in Amsterdam made him one of the most highly regarded European coaches of his generation.

However, his subsequent tenure at Manchester United proved more turbulent. Though he won two domestic cups in two and a half years at Old Trafford, his spell ended in disappointment after United endured their worst start to a Premier League season in decades, losing four of their first nine league matches before he was dismissed.

–IANS

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