Erik ten Hag is still in regular contact with Marc Overmars. After Ajax’s victory over Willem II (0-1), the trainer tells during the press conference about the situation that has arisen since the departure of the director of football affairs. Ten Hag thinks that Ajax can absorb the departure of Overmars, but does miss Overmars.
“We can handle it, with the technical staff, the management and the board,” says Ten Hag. “I do miss him. As a person I miss him every day, but also functionally. We have to deal with that.” The trainer does not want to break his ties with Overmars, despite the revelations about his sexually transgressive behavior. “I still have a lot of contact with him. We text and now and then we talk. You cannot cut such a bond in one go. Not personally anyway, but not functionally either. He is involved, he is the director of this team.”
Ten Hag thinks that Ajax as a club will not suddenly be faced with an insurmountable obstacle after the departure of the director. “We have known for much longer which direction we want to take with all players. We have determined that together. The things that have been started, will be followed up,” said the trainer, who responds with a wink to the question whether his phone is red hot because Overmars can no longer conduct the negotiations. “I don’t think the agents have much to complain about at the moment, because I haven’t heard them yet.”