Erik ten Hag’s sporting directorship at FC Twente hasn’t got off to the start he’d have hoped.
The former Manchester United manager returned to his home club in February in an advisory role and then took over as sporting director at the close of the 2025/26 season.
Ten Hag has had a very active transfer window, but things have already taken a bad turn.
Twente competed for Champions League football for much of the previous season, but fell short.
Twente’s season gets off to a terrible start
Yet they still finished above their target, and booked Europa League football.
However, that feat has already disappeared with the Eredivisie side losing their qualifying tie against Ferencvarcos.
foot.mundo was in attendance as they then tried to make up for the failure against another Hungarian side in the Conference League, DAC 1904.
Twente did so in commanding fashion, winning 6-0, rendering the return leg almost pointless.
However, their stand of ultras barely reacted at full-time.
Three days later their Eredivisie season got underway, and they were lucky it wasn’t at home.
Heerenveen beat Twente 1-0 in the opener, where landmark summer signing Wout Weghorst started the match.
The striker was particularly ineffective, though, missing a late header that should’ve been an equaliser.
Reactions to Twente’s 1-0 loss against Heerenveen
Speaking post-match, Twente captain Robin Pröpper told ESPN: “I felt we got drawn into the sluggish game.
Normally we have high intensity, but this time it just wasn’t quite there.
“Only when it really matters do you see us bring the ball in and become dangerous. We just let it happen a little bit.”
Coach John van den Brom was also disappointed with his team’s performance until they went behind.
He added: “Until that moment, I missed the intensity and energy that we did bring a few days ago.
“It was a sluggish match, not enjoyable for the viewers either, I think. We only reacted after falling behind. But we always have to reach our level, and not just after conceding a goal.
“The substitutions were factored in. We didn’t lose here because of individual choices or players. The team as a whole showed too little.”
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