Ronald de Boer predicts that there will be continuous discussion about André Onana’s position at Ajax in the coming period. The goalkeeper from Cameroon is now fully training again with Young Ajax and can be used again with the team from Amsterdam from November, when his doping suspension ends. De Boer has understood from John Heitinga, the trainer of Jong Ajax, that it is not the intention that Onana will soon return to the first selection of Ajax.
“I spoke to John Heitinga and he said that Onana is probably training at Jong Ajax”, De Boer starts in the program Rondo by Ziggo Sports. “John said he is incredibly fit and acts as a role model, for example by wearing the ball sack. He doesn’t feel too bad for anything, he has a very positive appearance. But I understand that the door to the first is closed for the time being. It is not the intention for the time being that Ajax will use him. But that could just change.”
“Suppose that Ajax loses points on November 3 (against Borussia Dortmund, ed.), that will rear its ugly head. Suppose he does get you to the next round, you can say it’s worth that many million. It is difficult. On the other hand, you can say that he has treated Ajax in such a way that they do not stand for it”, says De Boer. Marco van Basten, who is also present, thinks that Ajax ‘shouldn’t shoot itself in the foot. “If he wants to leave later, you wouldn’t have had to pay him in the past. It was his fault that he wasn’t allowed to play. Now let him play, because you just pay him.”
“The question is, where do you get a keeper with those qualities so quickly”, adds Ronald Waterreus. The former goalkeeper speaks of a ‘small personal drama’ for Maarten Stekelenburg, whose season has already ended. “You shouldn’t put too much weight on rhythm with a keeper with Onana’s qualities. That mistake by Pasveer against Sporting, Onana will make again, that is not such a point. We all make mistakes. What I would worry about more as Ajax are the two goals you conceded in the competition (against FC Twente and FC Utrecht, ed.).
“You have to be realistic about that,” Waterreus continues. “In the Netherlands it might still be enough (with Pasveer, ed.). Anyway, what if something happens to Pasveer? If you’re not going to use Onana, someone else needs to come along. Where are you going to get a good keeper who is good enough for Ajax in the middle of the season? Jay Gorter? Then why aren’t they using it now?”
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