Mike Verweij believes that André Onana has unjustly received a lot of criticism. Due to the absence of Remko Pasveer, Jay Gorter and Maarten Stekelenburg, the goalkeeper suddenly got a basic place at Ajax in the lost Eredivisie match with Go Ahead Eagles (2-1). On Monday morning, Verweij praises in his column The Telegraph the mentality of ‘training animal’ Onana and he also argues for a base place for the Cameroonian in the Champions League return against Benfica.
On Sunday, the team of coach Erik ten Hag suffered a painful defeat against Go Ahead, which already had a 2-0 lead before half-time via Iñigo Cordoba and Philippe Rommens. Verweij thinks that Onana cannot be blamed, because according to the journalist, the closing post has been put in his shirt by his ‘staggeringly weak teammates’ and the club should cherish the ‘prodigal son’. Despite the fact that he has already signed with Internazionale and will leave Ajax after this season.
“During his doping suspension, the replacement for the injured Remko Pasveer paid for his training camp – with goalkeeper trainer, physiotherapist and nutritionist – in Salou, underwent the humiliation back in Amsterdam to have to train with Jong Ajax and – despite the mountains of dung he had collected from a number of fans over him – the training animal that he always was since his arrival from Barcelona,” emphasizes Verweij. “The same fans who thought that Onana should be persona non grata in the Johan Cruijff ArenA can now thank God on their bare knees that the keeper used all the negativity to train even harder and not to say goodbye in his head. Amsterdam.”
“That In the summer of 2019, four months after his contract extension until 2022, Onana himself offered to extend his contract again, but general director Edwin van der Sar and the then director of football affairs Marc Overmars did not think it necessary, because ‘it was time for a next step’, snowed under the statements of the analysts on TV, who tumbled over each other to condemn Onana. Just like the fact that Onana still wanted to sign during his doping suspension. But Ajax, which initially offered him half of his current salary, pulled the plug from the negotiations, while the goalkeeper wanted to continue talking.”
“Onana is Ten Hag’s lifeline,” concludes Verweij. “Although it turned out not yet due to his fellow players on a visit to Go Ahead Eagles. Onana gets three more chances (against AZ in the TOTO KNVB Cup, RKC Waalwijk and SC Cambuur, ed.) to show that he is the best goalkeeper and should therefore keep against Benfica. Even in the unlikely event that Pasveer is fit again. Then he should be there now that his team needs him. It is hoped for Onana that this will also be the case the other way around,” concludes the columnist.