FC Twente starts its European adventure today against Manchester United and meets an old acquaintance in trainer Erik ten Hag. “I texted him and demanded that he play with a B team,” says FC Twente watcher Leon ten Voorde in Goedemorgen Nederland on NPO 1.
Erik ten Hag is a well-known and very popular person for people in Enschede. During his time as a player, he wore the FC Twente shirt no fewer than 257 times. In addition, he was also on the bench 142 times at the Tukkers, as an assistant to trainer Fred Rutte.
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‘Torment Love’
The fact that FC Twente is still very close to the heart of the current coach of Manchester United is evident from his words during yesterday’s press conference. “I have to torture my great love,” said Ten Hag.
The coach shares this love with Twente watcher Leon ten Voorde, who is in Manchester on behalf of Tubantia and will experience the match up close. “I texted him and demanded that he play with a B team. Now the B team is also awfully strong, but he hasn’t really responded to it. It was a bit funny.”
Can Twente surprise?
In addition to Ten Hag, there is another familiar face on the bench at United. His assistant coach René Hake, who was at the helm of FC Twente for three seasons between 2015 and 2018. That may be an extra incentive for the Tukkers to overtake United. “They want that too, but we have to remain realistic,” Ten Voorde responds.
He compares the financial assets of both clubs for comparison. “Twente has put a lot of effort into signing a striker for two or three million. Manchester United has invested €215 million in new players this summer alone.”
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But as a well-known football saying goes: the ball is round. In The Theatre of Dreamsas United’s stadium is also popularly called, that age-old football law applies. Ten Voorde: “No one expects a good result to be achieved here. Normally Manchester United are way too strong. A very big football miracle must happen if Twente gets a good result here.”
Good or bad result, it is a wonderful outing for all Twente supporters. The Tukkers are 4,000 strong at Old Trafford. Can they drown out the sound of the 70,000 United supporters? The players will experience this when they kick off for their first match in the Europa League at 9 p.m.
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By: Vick ten Wolde
