Tadic still an Ajax player next year? ‘We really need a plan, it has to be right’

Dusan Tadic has taken the championship scale every season since his arrival at Ajax. But this year everything is different. There are two consolation prizes left for the team from Amsterdam this season: second place in the premier league and the KNVB cup. “That hurts”, says the captain in the run-up to the duel with PSV.

Tomorrow Ajax will first visit Eindhoven in the Eredivisie and a week later it will play against PSV in the cup final. It was a bit of a switch for Tadic now that Feyenoord is taking off with the title – “If I don’t take the scale, I’m not happy” – but he has now been able to turn the switch. After all, there is a lot at stake.

“It’s a big game against PSV, those are always interesting games. Of course both teams are used to fighting for first place. But this year it’s difficult. Nevertheless, it’s very important for both teams, we want to play in the Champions League. “

The marriage between Dusan Tadic and Ajax is one of the happiest in the history of the team from Amsterdam. Since the arrival of the Serbian, Ajax became champion every year and great successes were also celebrated at the highest European level. He personally lifted the club from the capital to a higher level with his winner’s mentality.

According to Tadic, the fact that this season is disappointing to say the least is a combination of factors. “Nine basic players left this summer, fifteen players in total. That is too many. We also changed trainers (Alfred Schreuder instead of Erik ten Hag, ed.). And then again (John Heitinga for Schreuder, ed. It just needs time to fix some things,” says Tadic, who also points to the great loss of former director of football affairs Marc Overmars.

With every marriage, doubts creep in when things go a little less. Tadic will also list everything at the end of this season. He lacked a clear vision last year. He no longer recognized his dream club, the club where he has always felt so at home.

“I came here to win cups. We really need a good plan and a strong Ajax. The project has to be right. Physically I feel very good. That’s the most important thing. I will always play to help my team. And then we’ll see what happens. Football is unpredictable, you never know.”

After his career, Tadic will start working at Ajax as a youth coach or assistant at the first, that has already been determined. But the now 34-year-old Serbian says he is not yet ready as a footballer. “I want to play football as long as my body listens to me. And the body listens to me very well at the moment,” the Serb smiles. “I also have to stay hungry. That’s also one of the most important things. If you don’t have that anymore…”

Tadic is fine with hunger. This was recently illustrated by Mika Godts, who made his debut against FC Emmen last Sunday. The Belgian talent met Tadic in the gym on his first visit to De Toekomst in January. “If you want to be successful, you have to come and sit here with me in the evening,” he was told.

Yet Tadic could not prevent Ajax from playing a supporting role this year. It is also a season of peaks and troughs for himself. It all no longer looks as fresh as before. As captain he was too busy with the functioning of the team and that did not benefit his own game.

“Not only had a lot changed at the club, but I also often changed positions myself. We had no automaticity in our game. That has been much better in recent months. I now play most of the time in a permanent position (in the striker ed.). And of course my statistics are always good.”

There is indeed no size on Tadic’s statistics this season either. The Premier League is not the strongest league, but in the top ten European leagues it is unrivaled in terms of opportunities created. In terms of the number of assists, he only has to leave behind Mike Trésor, former player of NEC and Willem II, according to data from statistics agency Opta.

“I owe it to my position to deliver good statistics. I have to be consistent and score goals, provide assists and create chances. I have done that in all my years. Of course I sometimes play a lesser game. depends on how the team plays. The stronger the team, the easier it gets.”

He also hopes to be important for Ajax again against PSV. In top competitions he often shows himself from a different side. In the heat of battle, everything is permitted, or so he believes. He recently clashed with captain Orkun Kökçü against Feyenoord. It was suggested on social media that Tadic would have provoked the Muslim Kökçü with his beliefs. Something that Kökçü himself denied.

“Social media plays a bad role in that. I may be old school, I don’t like that. I never look at it. If people want to twist things, fine. I know who I am and I know what I’m doing for my team.”

Partly due to his attitude and behavior in the field, he is sometimes insufferable for the opponent’s supporters, but that leaves Tadic cold. “Of course I understand that the supporters of other teams don’t like me. Because we usually win. And as captain I am often involved in all kinds of things during a match. Of course they don’t like me. No problem.”