Michael Valkanis is in his last months as an assistant at Ajax. The Australian was appointed as a new staff member at the end of last year at the request of John van ‘t Schip, but his employment in Amsterdam will end at the end of this season. That reports Football International at least. Hedwiges Maduro will most likely get a new role.
Maduro was promoted to the Eredivisie last season as Alex Pastoor’s right-hand man with Almere City. The club from Flevoland was committed to keeping the former international on board and initially did not want to cooperate in a departure to Ajax, but eventually agreed. At Ajax, where Maduro was already active as a player, the former Sevilla and Valencia player also became Maurice Steijn’s assistant. However, after a few months, the native of The Hague closed the door of the Johan Cruijff ArenA behind him. After Steijn’s departure, it became clear several times that Maduro and the head coach were not on the same page.
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Maduro continued to work in Amsterdam. He also fulfills the role of assistant under Van ‘t Schip. The question at the moment is what Ajax plans to do with him after this season. According to Football International Maduro, like Saïd Bakkati, will continue in a ‘different position’ from next season. “It is an option that Maduro’s future lies with Jong Ajax. A vacancy will arise there due to the likely transfer of Dave Vos”, so it reads. Vos is currently head coach of the reserves, but the plan is to give one assistant coach responsibility for the guidance and advancement of his own talents to the team. That role may be filled by Vos.
According to VI, a longer stay for Maduro as an assistant is ‘not excluded’. “It is certain that the technical staff of the first team will be significantly renewed. The plan is to add new specialists, for example for sharpening set pieces”, that’s what it sounds like. In any case, the suspension of general manager Alex Kroes does not change Ajax’s plans: appointing a new head coach. Van ‘t Schip confirmed last week that he would take on a different role after this season, that of ‘head of coaching’.
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