Naci Ünüvar is on his way back to Young Ajax. The only seventeen-year-old playmaker had to settle for a supporting role in the selection of trainer Mitchell van der Gaag in the first part of this season, but now the talent is regularly playing again. Incidentally, Ünüvar understands very well why he could not count on a basic place in the promises team of Ajax for a period of time.
“I understood that and agreed. I trained a lot and extra. Now I am much stronger conditionally and I score more than before the winter break,” says Ünüvar in an interview on the Ajax website. The young attacker saved a point on Easter Monday for Young Ajax on a visit to Helmond Sport (1-1). The fact that Van der Gaag approached him critically earlier this season did not really surprise Ünüvar. “I also knew what I was showing and I knew that was not who I am. We made a plan then. I would run a double program and do extra strength training.”
The extra work on the training field and in the weight room has only seen the ambitious Ünüvar well in recent months. “As you can see now I am fitter than last season, when I was still training at Ajax 1. Last season it went well, but I could not complete ninety minutes. After an hour of playing I was broken. I can now do it. Persist for much longer than then “, the attacker points to the big difference between a year ago and now.” The criticism from Van der Gaag, among others, is something that was actually completely new to Ünüvar.
“I have never really received much criticism,” continues the attacker, who is seen as one of the great talents of the Ajax training. “Everything always went well. In the media and on the street I sometimes got the reaction:” How is this possible? “I was not used to that. But I knew what I was doing and what I had agreed with the trainer. I had to stick to our plan and train hard. ” The eager Ünüvar waits quietly for what is to come at Ajax. “At Jong Ajax it is not as if you just push through to the first one quickly. You have to be patient for that and luckily I have that too.”
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