“Ten Hag did still have an A4 sheet with conditions: no…

Mark Middelhuis is chairman of one of the 33 supporters’ associations that FC Twente has. Haaksbergen, coincidentally the place where Erik ten Hag comes from.

“I have received training from Erik at Bon Boys, the football club where he also started. And where he sometimes comes to watch a first-team match unannounced,” says Middelhuis in conversation with Football International.

For three years now, De Greune sports park has been the setting for the Erik ten Hag tournament, for pupils up to the age of twelve. “We contacted Erik through his brother Rico to ask if he would mind if we linked his name to the tournament. That was fine in itself. However, Erik still had an A4 sheet with conditions. Such as: high level, healthy meals, no drinking party.”

Top clubs were arranged through Ten Hag. “He secured the arrival of Ajax, and with that name on board we were quickly able to attract other professional clubs. We even had Borussia Dortmund. The coming edition will include clubs such as PSV, Bayer Leverkusen, Antwerp and Lille. FC Twente of course. We We are now even in contact with Manchester United, they are very interested. But they will only come if it becomes a two-day tournament. Our aim is to achieve that in 2026, during the fifth edition.”