The lack of playing time at Ajax is hard on Nicolás Tagliafico. The left back was on the bench for the entire game against Willem II (5-0) on Thursday and was therefore stuck at only 186 playing minutes in the current season. Daley Blind is preferred by Erik ten Hag and usually completes the ninety minutes. In conversation with the NOS Tagliafico acknowledges that he has doubts about his future in Amsterdam.
“This is the first time in my career that I am not playing,” the 29-year-old back says. “Initially it was very hard. I think we have to accept all the negative experiences and learn from them. It forces me to grow as a person and become mentally stronger from it.” Tagliafico has only once spoken to Ten Hag about his new role. In the summer, the trainer assumed that the defender would be sold. That did not happen, but in the meantime the team was ‘actually already composed’, says Tagliafico.
After Ajax’s victory, it is mainly about a player who did not take action
Marciano Vink and Mario Been already discussed the situation of Nicolás Tagliafico on Thursday evening.
“And yes, now I am back to square one. It is a pity, I have played all matches here for three years and now I have barely had playing time,” said Tagliafico, who is asked whether he has a long-term contract with Ajax with extra years as a trainer, à la Dusan Tadic, as an option. “If you had asked last year, I would have said yes. I am not playing at the moment, but you have to look at things like this every day. Suppose a club knocks on the door during the winter break, then I make a decision.”
However, Tagliafico prefers to leave through the front door. “I’ve given everything for the past three years and leaving like this doesn’t feel right. We’ll see,” said the Argentine, whose current contract expires in the summer of 2023. He certainly sees a future as a trainer, it seems. “What kind of trainer would I be? As I am myself. Disciplined and want to get everything out of the players and the team. I especially want it to be a close team, I think that’s the most important.”
Ten Hag told the General Newspaper that Tagliafico is ‘naturally’ disappointed. “But he handles that very well. He even asks me: ‘How can I help the team?'” the trainer added. “With such a player, you also talk in the vein that it might be wiser to leave in the summer and that the club may then think along. In that regard, it is very good that we spend the winter in the Champions League. That gives energy.” to a team. When that didn’t work in recent years, I had to pull harder.”