Jordi Cruijff: Ajax Appoints New Director of Football

Ajax is looking for a technical director to succeed Alex Kroes and seems increasingly likely to end up with Jordi Cruijff. The Telegraph can now report that there is an important update about the conversations between Cruijff and Ajax.

Ajax is finding its way back in sporting terms under the leadership of Fred Grim, with a series of six matches in a row unbeaten to complete the first half of the season. Second place is still in sight while Ajax is looking administratively for a technical director, chief scout, three members for the Supervisory Board and ultimately a new trainer.

In an item for The Telegraph Mike Verweij states that Cruijff has received an initial proposal and that he is now considering it. “A proposal has been made to Jordi and I think a counter-proposal will be made soon. The intention to reach an agreement is there on both sides. Dirk Anbeek is negotiating on behalf of the Supervisory Board. That has to be the case, because it concerns a statutory director position. Then the Supervisory Board will decide about it. Jordi Cruijff has indicated that he is open to it, so I expect that they will reach an agreement in a reasonably short time.”

Sneijder’s role within Ajax

According to Mike Verweij, the fact that Wesley Sneijder has had a conversation with general manager Menno Geelen does not mean that Sneijder has a chance of becoming technical director. “It mainly says that Menno Geelen, as general manager, is always open to former football players. In fact, he did not want to become general manager at all and thought that a figurehead à la Edwin van der Sar should be created to become one. He had not yet been found, but that has always been Menno Geelen’s policy. Wesley himself has indicated that he wants to do something at Ajax. Then as general manager you say: let’s go for a cup of coffee. That happened last week and Wesley repeated that he wants to do something. Maybe he secretly had the ambition to become technical director, but Jordi Cruijff is the ideal candidate for that.” Marijn Beuker is currently still in charge this coming transfer winter, with Takehiro Tomiyasu as the first (transfer-free) acquisition.

Yet Verweij sees an important role for Sneijder alongside Cruijff as part of the organization at Ajax. “I do think that Sneijder can play an important role at Ajax in many respects. It was always Johan Cruijff’s philosophy to bring in a lot of former players, because they know better how things work in a football company. I think that in the conversations with Jordi it has become clear that he also strives for that. Marc Overmars has been proof that it can work (attracting someone with a football past). If you hear Wesley (Sneijder) at Ziggo, then he always has sensible things to say. The advantage of some boys is also: if you bring them in, doors will open for others. I think that Wesley, for example, can persuade Marco van Basten to do something. I think Jordi Cruijff can rely on names like Frank Rijkaard, Ronald Koeman and Pep Guardiola and use them as a sounding board.’