Erik ten Hag officially said goodbye as Ajax coach on Sunday afternoon. The goodbye coach did that with a 2-2 draw at Vitesse. Afterwards, Ten Hag gave a special word of thanks to Nicolás Tagliafico. The Argentinian was not assured of a starting spot this season, but can count on praise from the future manager of Manchester United. The defender himself only wants to leave Ajax ‘if it is favorable for everyone’, he said at ESPN†
“First of all, I wished him (Ten Hag, ed.) good luck for what he will do in the future,” says Tagliafico after the draw against Vitesse. “I said it was four great years, we played fantastic matches. And I learned a lot from him. He came with me in January 2018. It was a very good time. player, but also learned a lot from him off the field.” The Argentinian is also looking forward to a possible collaboration with Alfred Schreuder. “He had a good click with the players. I hope he brings a lot of good to the club and that he can do his job.”
Whether Tagliafico will be part of Schreuder’s judging corps next season is still doubtful. The defender reportedly has an agreement with Ajax that he can leave the club for four million euros. Tagliafico’s contract runs until next summer. “What do I need to stay? I’m not going anywhere else for now. I’m staying until it’s decided that I should go. As I said, my contract lasts for another year. So I’ll stay in Amsterdam until the club and I decide that things have to change. As I said: I’m always looking for new challenges, I want to grow. I’ve always had the desire to switch. But that only happens if it’s beneficial for everyone.”
Ten Hag spoke highly of his pupil. “I think he’s such a great person, who has a lot of beautiful angles,” said the trainer. “So as a person he is completely okay, but he has also made a great contribution as a football player. He has been there from my beginning to the end. I am extremely grateful to him for the collaboration, but also for what he as a person and as a football player for Ajax. He has a great character and actually never complains. He has fought for the team, fought for Ajax, brought quality and ultimately made a very big contribution to the championship. I’ll just get the decisive pass in the match against Feyenoord.”
Tagliafico was not an undisputed base player at Ajax this season. Where he started 25 times last season, the counter this year got stuck at 9 base places. “Of course he was dissatisfied when he didn’t play, but he has always given one hundred percent in training,” Ten Hag continues. “When it was necessary, he was there and that is important. You can see that the breadth of the selection ultimately also brought us the scale. By the width I also mean the quality in width. There is internal competition, That is also part of a top sports culture and a club like Ajax, which embraces that culture and wants to win prizes.”