Friday, August 13, 2021 at 12:48 pm• Dominic Mostert

Erik ten Hag can use Maarten Stekelenburg during the first league match of the new season, but not yet Perr Schuurs. Mohammed Kudus and Antony are also not available, although the latter will return to training on Friday after his participation in the Olympic Games with Brazil. During the press conference prior to Saturday’s game against NEC, Ten Hag discusses the deployability of multiple players.

Schuurs and Stekelenburg were missing against PSV last Saturday in the battle for the Johan Cruijff Scale. The defender was left with a calf injury from the friendly match against Leeds United and the goalkeeper has been struggling with physical complaints for a while. Ajax must also miss Nicolás Tagliafico against NEC: the left back has been suspended for the first two games of the new season, after he received a direct red card in the duel with PSV. “Stekelenburg will be there tomorrow. I said that last week. If he is fit, he has an advantage and he will start,” Ten Hag said. Remko Pasveer therefore loses his place under the bar, after he got a basic place against PSV.

“Perr Schuurs will not be there tomorrow. I hope he can join again next week.” Kudus is recovering from an ankle injury and Ten Hag is patient with his pupil. “Kudus, that is very disappointing. He made a very good impression in the preparation, but has now had to train outside the group for two and a half weeks. I dare not say when he can join again. We have every hope that he can join and then it will be disappointing again, so we will have to wait and see how that recovers. Antony will be at training this afternoon, but will not be in the match selection tomorrow.”

Ajax is licking its wounds after the 0-4 defeat against PSV. However, the match also offered leads for Ten Hag. “There are many facets to that 0-4. They have indeed been discussed. We can also take advantage of that. That is how I see it and the group of players too. But let one thing be clear: it was here the past few days We know that we have to be in top shape, physically and mentally, to play these kinds of games. It’s about very small moments that make a game go in a certain direction. Those moments were clearly not for us on Saturday. I see how my team was organized and played football, I don’t have to worry about that. I think we played really great in the first half.”