Alfred Schreuder was told fairly quickly after the disappointing first half of the season that he was allowed to continue as coach of Ajax. After that evaluation, he decided to intervene with the team from Amsterdam: the selection is getting smaller and a new keeper and defender are needed.
Shortly after the last game before the winter break, against FC Emmen (3-3), Schreuder went to the table with the club management, which consists of general manager Edwin van der Sar and the technical intermediaries Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Gerry Hamstra.
“That was a good evaluation,” said the coach on Friday at the press conference in the run-up to the resumption of the competition. “For me, the message was clear that we would continue. We have to win at Ajax, I know that better than anyone.”
Schreuder experienced disappointing first months as coach of Ajax. After years of success, the reigning national champion finished the first half of the season as number two in the Eredivisie. It was also disappointing in a European context: Ajax had no chance against Liverpool and Napoli in the battle for the knockout phase of the Champions League and will continue in the Europa League after the winter break.
Ontvang meldingen bij belangrijke ontwikkelingen rondom Ajax
In combination with the reserve turn of club icon Blind, Schreuder came under heavy fire from Ajax fans. During the last home game, against Vitesse (2-2), the Johan Cruijff ArenA called for the departure of the coach en masse. After every failure in the Eredivisie and Champions League, #SchreuderOut was also a hit on social media.
During the World Cup break, in which Blind left, Schreuder also looked in the mirror himself. “You always evaluate yourself. Afterwards there are always things you would have done differently. Not all choices were always right.”
Schreuder did not want to say what choices those were. In general, he said that the energy in his team was lacking. As at the entire press conference, Schreuder was quite defensive in his answers, although he says that was not because he cannot take criticism. It leaves him cold. “I’m fifty years old. I don’t worry about that.”
Smaller selection and extra defender
Schreuder did announce major changes after the disappointing first half of the season. First of all, the selection has become smaller, because the trainer thinks this is better for the energy in his team. Not only Blind, but also Lisandro Magallán (free transfer to Elche), Kik Pierie (leased to Excelsior) and Mohamed Ihattaren (Juventus, was rented) left Amsterdam.
Schreuder also believes that a quality impulse is needed. The Argentinian goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli (30) has already been taken over from Villarreal for at least 8 million euros, but a new defender must also be added. According to The Telegraph it concerns the Argentinian Leonardo Balerdi of Olympique Marseille.
Hakim Ziyech is certainly not an option. The playmaker has been associated with a reunion with his old club in recent months. “We are well occupied at the front,” said Schreuder. “Everyone knows that Hakim is a good player, but he also has a price tag. That is not a priority for us.”
Based on the last weeks of training, Schreuder thinks that a turnaround is possible at Ajax. The club is three points behind leader Feyenoord and has the same number of points as competitor PSV. “I notice that there is a fresh group that wants to put things right. We are going in the right direction.”
Ajax will resume the Eredivisie on Sunday at 2.30 pm with an away match against NEC. Steven Berghuis and Kenneth Taylor may be missing from the team from Amsterdam. They have been ill for the past few days. Unlike Berghuis, Taylor has already trained again.
