Erik ten Hag, the man who guided Ajax to a Champions League semifinal and then had a turbulent stint at Manchester United, is back in the conversation for one of the biggest jobs in Dutch football. The Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) has identified him as a candidate to replace Ronald Koeman as head coach of the Netherlands national team.
Ten Hag isn’t even coaching right now. He’s been working as FC Twente’s technical director since February 2026, a role that typically involves scouting, squad planning, and organizational strategy rather than picking starting lineups and drawing up set pieces. Yet the KNVB apparently sees enough in his track record to keep him on the shortlist.
A crowded shortlist with familiar names
Ten Hag isn’t the only name the KNVB is considering. Arne Slot and Ruud van Nistelrooy are also among the early candidates, according to reporting around the search process. The technical director overseeing the hunt is Nigel de Jong, the former Dutch international midfielder who now holds that role within the federation.
The technical director who might return to the touchline
