In the section Grandstand Sounds Soccer Zone turns the tables! Every week, a VZ reader with writing ambitions is given the opportunity to publish an opinion piece, column or other interesting article about football on our website. The kick-off is for Ajax player Torben van der Voorn, who is concerned about his club. Torben feels that Ajax is slowly letting the momentum slip out of their hands after several successful seasons. In this opinion piece you can read why!
By Torben van der Voorn
What beautiful years Ajax has had. After the first signs of recovery appeared in 2017, the final breakthrough followed in the 2018/19 season. An important reason turned out to be the introduction of a new policy in which the salary ceiling was broken. Suddenly players from the Premier League were attracted: Dusan Tadic came from Southampton and Daley Blind, child of the club, made the unusual move from Manchester United to the Johan Cruijff ArenA. The result was immediate, with a convincing qualification for the group stage of the Champions League.
A wonderful season followed with the first title in six years plus the win of the TOTO KNVB Cup. And to top it all, the semi-finals of the CL were reached, after historic victories over superpowers Real Madrid and Juventus. The loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the 96th minute of the semi-final is perhaps the greatest football trauma for anyone who calls himself an Ajax player. But one thing was clear: Ajax was back, back at the top of international football.
In the following three years, creditable CL campaigns were completed, with one overwintering and a quarter-final in the Europa League, and the club always finished at the top of the national league table. This series of successes has benefited Ajax financially. In addition to all the premiums and receipts that resulted from the European successes, huge transfer hits were also made with Frenkie de Jong (86 million euros), Matthijs de Ligt (85.5 million), Hakim Ziyech (40 million) and Donny van de Beek ( 39 million).
Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt became the most expensive Ajax players of all time after the successful year 2018/19.
In addition, Ajax also turned out to have top-class business talent with commercial director Menno Geelen, who was able to convert the sporting success into several lucrative sponsor deals. The result is that the club has struck a gap in terms of financial possibilities with closest competitors PSV and Feyenoord that is almost unparalleled. To make it concrete: the equity of Ajax amounts to the staggering amount of 224 million euros, where PSV and Feyenoord have to make do with 17 and 1.5 million euros respectively.
In the 2022/2023 season, Ajax is once again assured of the Champions League group stage and has thus secured a further at least 40 million euros in income (starting premium). Add to this the outgoing transfers of Sébastien Haller (31 million) and Ryan Gravenberch (18.5 million) and the ten percent share in the monster transfer from Sven Botman to Newcastle United (3 million) and you already come to almost 100 million . And then we don’t even include the approximately 55 million euros of the almost certain transfer from Lisandro Martínez to Manchester United.
You would think that with such a financial management you could deal a final blow to the competition, but nothing seems less true. Where competitor PSV has already made a number of big hits on the transfer market, Ajax takes the time for the signatures of a number of top targets. With Xavi Simons, PSV brought in a talent that was coveted by top clubs such as Real Madrid and old acquaintance Luuk de Jong was attracted for the necessary goals. The least passed goalkeeper of the French Ligue 1, Walter Benítez, was also cleverly recruited to replace last year’s insecure-looking Joël Drommel. In addition, the Brazilian talent Savinho and Guus Til was taken over from Spartak Moscow.
Gerry Hamstra and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (H2), the new technical management.
Although Gerry Hamstra and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar have attracted Steven Bergwijn and Owen Wijndal, it has been decided (for the time being) not to get a replacement for Gravenberch and there is currently not one full-fledged center striker in the selection. In addition, there is no anticipation yet on the almost certain departure of mainstay in the defense Martínez and on the possibility that star player Antony can still leave. During the first training camp of the preparation, the eyes were focused on the youth academy. Without the players who had international obligations at the end of last season, there was a week of training and two exhibition games. It turned out to be an ‘instructive week’ according to Alfred Schreuder.
I thought that was a bit too positive. There were certainly a few bright spots, such as the resurrection of Mohamed Ihattaren and the good playing of Sontje Hansen, Naci Ünüvar, Kian Fitz-Jim, maybe Youri Regeer. It really just ends there. It became clear, for example, that the entire defense is absolutely unworthy of Ajax. The central duo Lisandro Magallan and Kik Pierie can definitely make a mark, because they fall short on all fronts. On left back, Youri Baas made a lesser impression than Anass Salah-Eddine, coveted by Club Brugge. Right in the defense it once again became clear that Sean Klaiber is not a player who makes Ajax stronger. In the rush, both the young Christian Rasmussen (19) and Jay Enem (19) were tried out. These guys are clearly still too light for Ajax 1. And all the players who were always allowed to play in the second half are too young or simply not good enough.
Based on the first phase of preparation, I think it is good to draw up a shopping list and/or ‘to do’ list for H2:
- Renewing and upgrading the contract of Jurriën Timber. Timber has emerged as the absolute leader of the defense and forms an important foundation for this Ajax.
- After Wijndal has been added, at least two more defenders will have to be added: a right back and a left-legged defender who can play both central and left back. Perhaps new South American grinta?
- A multifunctional midfielder who can play on 6 and 8, preferably with experience. Talents are emerging with Kenneth Taylor, Mohammed Kudus and Fitz-Jim. But, have these guys been there all season?
- The striker position, surely the biggest concern. Will Tadic move back to the striker, flanked by Bergwijn and Antony? Then you need at least one more striker, but a real pinch hitter does not seem a superfluous luxury.
We’ve been on the road for two months now since the end of last season. A season in which it became clear that PSV has come closer. And since the technical leadership (Marc Overmars and Erik Ten Hag) has closed the door (partly out of necessity) behind them, Ajax should be extra alert in the subsequent transition phase. After all, the position that has been acquired must be defended vigorously. Fortunately, the financial resources are also available. Still, things are going smoothly here. For example, it was decided to put down an inexperienced technical duo as a replacement for Overmars. And that is a strange choice if you look at the transfer balance of Overmars. The financial position that Ajax is currently in is largely due to Overmars. Big names offered to take over in Amsterdam, but the management decided otherwise.
Mohamed Ihattaren has made an excellent impression in the preparation so far.
An inexperienced duo had to get the chance, under the guise that Ajax remains a training club. A wonderful philosophy, but times change and Ajax has to change with it. Ajax has the financial possibilities to completely dominate the Dutch competition. In fact, a situation has been created where it is actually a shame if you don’t become champion of the Netherlands. Only the right people have to be recruited for this.
Edwin van der Sar is not a strong and charismatic leader like Marcel Brands is. That’s okay, but appoint a technical duo that is experienced and knows the ropes. Ajax has already given the competition ten counts twice, but refuses a final one KO to share. Incomprehensible, and perhaps the old trap of the Amsterdammers? Underestimation and arrogance? Or is it just ignorance of the current management? In my opinion it is a combination of both.
As an Ajax player, it is a shame to see this and it is incomprehensible that this can still happen at a listed company, in such a position. Is it so difficult to run a football company well? It is now two to twelve for the current management. New deals will have to be concluded quickly and on July 30 (when the match for the Johan Cruijff Scale is played) the balance will be drawn up for the first time. In the event of a disappointing start to the competition, an important measurement moment could take place at the end of August. And then the cut will still have to be made, but then to pay the tuition fees of the delays and missed opportunities that have now been incurred…
Do you have your own writing ambitions or a great story that deserves a wider audience? Is there something going on at your club that you really need to get rid of or do you have a nice anecdote about football? Voetbalzone posts a weekly entry. Mail your story (max. 1500 words) to [email protected] and who knows, it will soon be available on Voetbalzone!