“No, that’s not his status, total nonsense!”


Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at 5:13 PM• Jeroen van Poppel • Last update: 17:15

John Heitinga is not happy with Mohammed Kudus’ performance against FC Groningen. Although Ajax won 2-3, the field play of the team from Amsterdam did not look convincing. Heitinga names for the camera of ESPN two crucial moments in which Kudus did not perform what the Ajax trainer would have liked to see.

“At times we were good”, Heitinga opens. “The opening was very good. We score the goal (via a penalty from Dusan Tadic, ed.) And then you have to push through. Then it’s also about giving the ball to someone else. We get a goal against… Substitute Florian Krüger completed a successful counter from Groningen. “Just before that, Mohammed Kudus has to handle the ball Stevie Give Bergwijn”, it sounds clear from Heitinga’s mouth. Kudus went for his own success with that action, but saw his shot simply blocked. “They score from that switch”, Heitinga knows.

The rest of the team is also blamed for Ajax’s first goal against. “We have to step up and cover this residual organization better.” While Heitinga sees the images, he describes a mistake by Owen Wijndal, who was not short enough on Krüger. “There is a hesitation in this, but Owen has to cover ahead here,” says Heitinga.

Ajax made up for it in the second half and came through Brian Brobbey and Jurriën Timber to 1-3. Just before time it became even more exciting when Laros Duarte made it 2-3. “Groningen’s second goal, I think Mohammed Kudus should also defend.” Reporter Christian Wiellaert asks whether Kudus has so much status that he does not have to defend. “No, no, that’s total nonsense what I’m hearing now. Of course he has to come along. After that we shouldn’t walk backwards, but step forward. You have one left in the back.”

“These are moments that have to get out, but well, this is all very negative,” Heitinga continues. “We won and scored three goals and there could have been many more. We should have been 0-2, but then it fell 1-1. We created enough chances, but you also have to build confidence. 0-2, then you might walk further away. My compliments also to Groningen, which has been relegated, but that I saw one of its best games played today.”