Saïd Ouaali is not worried about Jorrel Hato’s future. Ajax’s head of youth academy sees the seventeen-year-old defender increasingly knocking on the door of the first team and foresees the same scenario for him as Kenneth Taylor and Devyne Rensch in previous years. Ouaali discusses with the NOS also the situation Brian Brobbey, whose departure to RB Leipzig Ouaali last summer did not sit in the cold clothes.
Ouaali was appointed as final responsible at De Toekomst in 2016, after having been active as a youth trainer for four years. Since then he has seen, among others, Matthijs de Ligt, Donny van de Beek, Ryan Gravenberch and Jurriën Timber break through in Ajax 1. His assignment to bring as many players as possible to the first team seems to be succeeding. “If you look at the past few years, several talents have broken through every time, some of whom are now playing at top clubs,” said Ouaali.
The head of youth academy is therefore pleased with the course that is currently being taken in Amsterdam. “Whether the youth was not looked at enough last summer? I don’t think so,” says Ouaali. “I think players have broken through again this year, such as Kenneth Taylor and Devyne Rensch. Jorrel Hato is coming. I’m not worried about that.”
Brobbey is also a recent example of someone who made the step from De Toekomst. Ouaali did not like the fact that he decided to move to Leipzig last summer. “Of course I am disappointed. But you also have to consider that some players dream of a certain club or career. We look critically at ourselves to see how we can prevent an early departure, for example by quickly offering them a contract. But sometimes it is just don’t stick to it. There are also examples of players who leave at an even younger age. But there are also many players who return to Ajax after a few years. That also says something, “says Ouaali.