Georges Mikautadze's statements about his life off the field in his first months at Ajax are not entirely based on the truth. This is what Edwin Presser, owner of Eurotalents Sportmanagement, says in conversation with Football International. The 23-year-old striker from Georgia, who is currently in excellent form on loan at FC Metz, said he went 'crazy'.

Mikautadze said at the end of April that he spent two months in a hotel. “I was alone in that room, I went crazy,” said the striker in conversation with L'Équipe. “But the club didn't help me much with looking for an apartment either. I rented an Airbnb on my own, where my family lived with me for over a month.”

“I didn't know anyone, I didn't speak the language: the conditions for success were not there for me. Every player must feel respected in order to perform. Now I'm rented out, but they don't say anything. They have forgotten me at Ajax,” said the attacker.

'Not much true'

There is 'not much truth' to Mikautadze's story, says Presser. “Unfortunately, there is not much truth to his story. We provide sports coaching and guide Georgian football players. When Mikautadze went to Ajax, we were in contact with various people within Ajax to guide Mikautadze together with the club. Mr. Mikautadze does not speak English, but only French and Georgian.”

“John van Loen, well known to everyone in the Netherlands, is our employee and was willing to guide Mikautadze, together with my stepdaughter who speaks fluent Georgian. John knows exactly what is required of a striker at Ajax, but Mikautadze did not feel like it and wanted to do everything himself and alone. It is not fair that he is now kicking Ajax for his own unwillingness to succeed at Ajax.”

Presser says that you could see Mikautadze during training that he was 'empty'. “After the training I asked if we could do something for him. We wanted to eat something with him in a Georgian restaurant in Hilversum. He was open to that, but in the end we didn't hear anything from him. We offered everything to help him. If he then says in the newspaper that he has not been helped, perhaps it is partly his own fault.”

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