Ajax would do well to try to bring Erik ten Hag back, says Arno Vermeulen. The club from Amsterdam is currently thinking of the manager of Manchester United, the club-less Graham Potter and OGC Nice coach Francesco Farioli for next season. There are pros and cons to all options and in the opinion of the commentator NOS and also Ibrahim Afellay, Ajax must choose the safest option in terms of the technical staff, if he is available: Ten Hag.
Afellay emphasized on Sunday evening at Studio Voetbal on the NOS that Potter, who according to Algemeen Dagblad turned down an initial proposal, would not be a good choice at the moment to work in the Johan Cruijff ArenA. “Ajax must now always choose trusted people who care about the club,” the former footballer emphasized on Sunday evening. “In the past, like this year, they have given the club away to foreigners.”
“We all saw how that turned out. They have to bring back people who want the best for Ajax.” Vermeulen would prefer Ten Hag, although the ex-coach of FC Utrecht and Ajax, among others, still has an ongoing contract with Manchester United. However, the question remains whether the club management wants to continue with the manager for a third year due to the poor results. “If you are of course a little more patient, there is a good chance that Ten Hag will be released,” Vermeulen predicts. Rafael van der Vaart winked that that could just happen. “I think he’s doing his best himself, Arno.”
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Vermeulen has also read that, according to De Telegraaf, Ten Hag is the absolute number one candidate at Ajax, which would have rejected available trainers such as Frank de Boer and Pascal Jansen. “I really think they would like to have Ten Hag back. You still have the problem that he has yet to play in an FA Cup final. If he wins that… Although, Louis van Gaal also won the FA Cup and then had to leave too. The question is: are you indeed waiting for that? I think he would like it.”
Vermeulen also sees connections that would make Ten Hag’s return to Ajax logical. “Alex Kroes of course has ties with SEG, that large management agency, which he owned,” he refers to the new titular technical director. “Ten Hag is also under contract there. Lines like this make you think: Ten Hag is the most logical. However, he himself will want to stay at United. It would be good for him and for Ajax. He will definitely ensure that Ajax will be back at the top of the Netherlands within one or two years.”
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“Whether Ten Hag sees enough potential in the group of players? Not in all players, I think, but you don’t have to bring in eleven others either.” Van der Vaart, on the other hand, thinks that the current selection of John van ‘t Schip is a major problem. “I do not believe that. I think at least fifteen (new purchases, ed.).” Ajax is currently fifth in the Eredivisie and is heading for participation in the Europa League, unless its two-point lead over NEC is given away in the remaining three matchdays. Then participation in the play-offs awaits for a ticket to the Conference League.
