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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag showed his true colours when speaking out on Jurgen Klopp's bombshell Liverpool exit announcement on Friday. Ten Hag is one of the German's first Premier League counterparts to address the shocking news ahead of Sunday's FA Cup fourth-round tie against Newport County.
Klopp has revealed that he will walk away from Anfield at the end of the season, wrapping up a successful nine-year reign.
The Liverpool manager has overseen a period of dominance alongside Pep Guardiola and Manchester City since he landed in England in October 2015.
He has lifted the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and FA Community Shield on Merseyside.
During his press conference unveiling in 2022, Ten Hag made headlines by claiming that "eras must come to an end" in response to a question about Liverpool and City's recent superiority.
That time looks to be arriving, and the Dutchman started Friday's media address by sending a classy message to Klopp.
"It's no good for the Premier League. So he has made an era there, he built the club, he brought the club back where they belong, so congratulations on that," Ten Hag explained.
"He has done an amazing job in Liverpool. I can understand [he ran out of energy]. Nine years is a long time.
"I think it's a period of building up, achieving targets, but also, I think setbacks and going into difficult periods. The Premier League is very intense.
"The combination with European club football, when you're there nine years, it's a long period, and I can understand he is running out of energy, and that is one of his arguments to step down."
As one era ends at Anfield, another is starting at Old Trafford. Ten Hag is in charge of United as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS prepare the club's most significant structural overhaul since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement.
And he has broken his silence on Omar Berrada's impending arrival as United's first-ever externally-hired chief executive from City.
