Erik ten Hag will stay with Ajax, the club announced on Friday. Probably the same applies to director of football affairs Marc Overmars, because earlier this month he spoke of ‘a kind of commitment’ with the trainer: if one stays, the other stays too. After the announcement of the contract extension of Ten Hag, Overmars will be continued Ajax TV therefore asked about that appointment. “I will also have the necessary talks with the club in the coming weeks. For me it is not very exciting. I expect it will all work out,” says Overmars.
Above all, the director is pleased with Ten Hag’s contract extension. On Friday, Ajax reported an oral agreement with the trainer, who will sign until mid-2023. A switch to Tottenham Hotspur seems to have been canceled. “There have certainly been a few clubs very seriously”, says Overmars. “But I think it is very important for Erik the people he works with. And also that he still sees the possibilities and the stretch in the team. Otherwise you should not get started.”
“You have to look at what he has achieved in the past year, that has been very good”, Overmars emphasizes. “Really special. The doubles this year. I think there are only a few trainers who have won the doubles three times. It is a nice challenge to match that. There is still room in it, and I think that Erik is also getting better as a coach. is becoming.” Ten Hag agrees to want to win more prizes. “We are having a good year at Ajax and we want to continue that. We are going to do that too. We want to raise the bar even higher. We want to continue working on a successful and attractive Ajax.”
“Our cooperation is extremely good”, the trainer explains his choice to renew. “That is also very important for a trainer. We get along very well, challenge each other, keep each other sharp, put each other on the right track … We want to continue that together.” However, a departure from Ajax was not inconceivable, admits Ten Hag. “I don’t necessarily want to rule out that that could have been done, but I know what I have here. I know which people I work with, what the ideas are, what goals we have, how we can take the next steps and that’s where I am here. happy.”
The rumors about Tottenham did not disturb Ten Hag. “I am always busy where I am. And that is at Ajax. I sit with all my head and my heart in it. That is what counts. You know how the rumor mill is. It shows that we are doing well at Ajax. Then players come into the spotlight, but also trainers. Because we achieve successes and that happens in a certain way. The image is good and you get credits for that, in the Netherlands and abroad. ” The next step for Ajax is to show even more in a European context. “Getting somewhere is one, staying somewhere is two. Ajax is back on the map abroad and we get recognition for that, but we want even more. We want even higher. We want to annoy top clubs in Europe.”