Ajax may be unbeaten at the top of the Eredivisie and have started the Champions League with a big win, according to Erik ten Hag there is still plenty to improve in Amsterdam. The coach of the capitals points out, among other things, the danger of becoming complacent, something that Ryan Gravenberch also spoke about after the victory at Fortuna Sittard (0-5).
Ten Hag is asked at the press conference what can be done even better at Ajax. “Do you have an hour?” said the coach. “There are so many things that we still have to work on at the moment. We also set the bar high, so there are plenty of things. To put it in perspective: less than four weeks ago we were in Enschede and then it was good none of that,” he refers to the 1-1 draw at FC Twente. “And now it seems to be hallelujah. We have a lot of things to improve upon.”
Gravenberch spoke on Tuesday evening after the victory in Sittard about the effort it takes to stay sharp. “Sometimes I have trouble with that, to be honest,” said the midfielder opposite ESPN. “When we take the lead so quickly, I find it difficult to maintain that focus.” Ten Hag has also heard that. “So you already have such a point of improvement. It is commendable that Ryan is aware of it, but it really has to be better to make the step to international top football.”
Ten Hag is further asked whether his group of players tends to lose sharpness. “It is in the DNA of Ajax to be easy going,” he says remarkably enough. “We have to ban that in the training, but we also have to watch out for it and not allow it in our team. Fortunately, I have a number of veterans who feel it very well, who are working on it, include the young people in it, coach and are demanding.”