Erik ten Hag thinks the Super League is an ‘unfortunate idea’. The Ajax coach was asked about the tournament on Wednesday at the press conference prior to Thursday’s match against FC Utrecht, which now seems doomed. Although Ten Hag says he is open to innovation, he does not think the structure of the Super League fits within football.
“I’m not that into direct firing,” the trainer is quoted by it Algemeen Dagblad. “I also like to think about innovations. But a closed competition in which people decide who can and who does not participate and clubs are excluded by definition, is not in line with the norms and values of European football.” As a club, Ajax turned against the Super League and stated in a statement that it supported the plans for a new Champions League format.
For the players, the Super League was ‘not a theme’, Ten Hag indicated. “With the trainer. And also with the management. One director was even very busy with it”, he referred with a wink to Edwin van der Sar, the general director of Ajax who also functions as vice-chairman of the interest group ECA. “You take in the news and the intentions. I think it is an unfortunate idea. The idea of solidarity was hard to find. It was mainly about financial gain. A self.”
“And whether that was in favor of football, I had my doubts”, the trainer continued. “I do not see a closed competition because it does not fit in with the essence of top sport. If there are by definition twelve teams in it, who mutually decide that and you should be happy if you belong to one of the other eight, then it is for a small football country almost impossible to get into. ” Ajax can take a new step towards the national title against Utrecht, the old club of Ten Hag, on Thursday.
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