Erik ten Hag sees a different Steven Berghuis than at Feyenoord. Where the attacker of Ajax at his previous club took a yellow card on average every 6 official matches, the counter is currently at zero this season after 22 matches in all competitions. Ten Hag attributes the improved behavior to Berghuis’ enjoyment of the game and the setting of clear boundaries.
“He enjoys it, then he doesn’t do stupid things,” says Ten Hag at the press conference in the run-up to next Sunday’s The Classic. Berghuis was often negative in the news in his last season for Feyenoord because of his erratic behavior. The wing striker annex attacking midfielder took red cards against sc Heerenveen and Vitesse, among other things. Ten Hag is clear about that behaviour. “I don’t accept what he showed there. Then you do your team short.”
“As a top football player you are expected to have your emotions under control,” concludes the coach. In addition to the emotional growth, Ten Hag also sees an increased work ethic at Berghuis. “If you’re talking about what he surprised me the most with, it’s the defensive aspect. At Feyenoord he sometimes let a man walk. He works hard for us, although switching remains an area for improvement.”
It remains in terms of tips; for the rest, Ten Hag is very pleased with his pupil. “His greatest gift is to be creative,” the trainer begins his hymn. “He has an action, a good one spreading in his passing, a final pass, a cross, a shot, he can play between the lines…”
Berghuis, who will also be celebrating his thirtieth birthday next Sunday, has already carefully prepared the return to De Kuip with his trainer. “It has been an issue since his arrival at Ajax,” says Ten Hag. “Although we don’t talk about it all the time. But Steven knows how to be in it, he knows what to do.”