There is a calm, sleepy feel to the rural town of Haaksbergen on a sunny spring day. Given you could fit its entire population into Old Trafford three times over and still have a few seats spare, it is not really a surprise.
It is also no surprise that its most famous son is Erik ten Hag, not that there is any sign of it from walking around the town. In fact, the only indication of Manchester United ’s next manager is the odd sign bearing his name to sell property, representing the family real estate business.
But whilst the thriving Ten Hag business houses a big head office in the city of Enschede and has provided a comfortable life for the family, Erik always had grand plans of his own. He rejected the expectation he would enter the family business, instead leaving brothers Michel and Rico to take charge from their parents whilst Erik carves out his own path.
