Twente's early season blow sparks doubts over Erik ten Hag's role

In Enschede, FC Twente felt the season’s first sting as Hungarian side Ferencváros knocked the Tukkers out of the Europa League qualifiers, a setback that already hints at a looming decline in the Eredivisie. The loss to Ferencváros ended Twente’s Europa League campaign before the group stage, leaving the club without European football this year. Club officials warn that the early exit could translate into a significant drop in league performance, with the Tukkers at risk of a steep points deficit. Technical director Erik ten Hag has become the focal point of criticism in Enschede, with his hands‑on approach drawing scrutiny from fans and pundits alike. According to De , the former Ajax and Manchester United manager employs an unusual method for someone in his position, a view the newspaper has voiced repeatedly. "Listen, there is no trainer who likes a technical director hovering over everything. That nose in the air, watching every drill, leading a training run – I don’t get it. Give a trainer some distance and let him make his choices, even his mistakes," wrote former midfielder Theo Janssen in his first column for . Janssen fears the club will suffer under the current arrangement, adding, "I hope not for the club and for John, but I don’t think he will stay long as trainer. He is a relaxed man who listens to others, but the environment may not suit him." He also highlighted the length of ten Hag’s contract extension, noting that it lasted unusually long last season and suggesting that the director felt compelled to extend it. "When you look at the staff he has brought in, they are all people he knows well. He is shaping the whole club his way. That is fine, but I wonder how long it will work with Van den Brom," Janssen concluded. The unfolding drama underscores how internal governance can shape a club’s fortunes, with Twente’s early season woes potentially setting the tone for the entire Eredivisie campaign.