It is not just a question of if, but when Antony will leave Ajax. The Brazilian wing flash is closely watched by major clubs from Europe. Countryman Wamberto, who wore the shirt of . from 1998 to 2004 Ajax was not surprised about that.
Wamberto (46) knows Antony well and hopes to see his ‘successor’ live as soon as possible in the Johan Cruijff Arena. “He is really a top player. In Brazil they are very enthusiastic about Antony. Ajax has made him even more famous,” Wamberto told FootballFirst.
Ajax deposited an amount of 15.75 million euros in mid-2020, which can rise to 21.75 million due to bonuses. Antony immediately gave value for money, he had little or no adjustment problems. That is not self-evident, especially not for players who come to the Netherlands from South America.
“I was able to adapt quickly because Belgium and the Netherlands are close to each other,” says Wamberto, who came over from Standard Liège in 1998. “It is more difficult for a boy from South America. It is very important to learn Dutch quickly, then the rest goes much faster. In principle, the Netherlands has everything, really a top country to live in. For South Americans it is may start a bit cold but that shouldn’t be a problem. In Brazil it was thought that Antony would take much longer to adapt. Ajax is one of the biggest clubs in the world, that makes it easier for players to get used to it. is a good club for young players to develop.”
Effortless customization
In recent years, Ajax has made extra efforts to personally guide players. That didn’t always go well. “That’s very important,” Wamberto assures. “When I went to Ajax, the South American players were accompanied by David Endt and Priscilla Janssens.”
Endt was team manager at Ajax from 1997 to 2013. Janssens, who later became Endt’s wife, was brought in in 1998 to coach the foreign players. “They have helped me and my family very well with literally everything. That is so very important for a player. As a result, my wife and I were able to quickly adapt to the Netherlands. They really like being in the Netherlands, we also have a house in the Netherlands. Amstelveen. And my children have a lot of friends in the Netherlands, so maybe we’ll come back again,” says Wamberto.
Brazil and the Netherlands cannot be compared in terms of culture and so it is sometimes difficult for a player to settle in. “The worlds are so completely different, almost incomparable”, the same Endt tells this website. “We can hardly imagine what it is like to come from a completely different country. Australia is also far, but there is more of a Western culture. It differs a lot from the Latino culture.”
The foundation for success is laid out of sight of the cameras. Endt thought it was important to quickly put players at ease in the Netherlands. He did not only do this by arranging practical matters. “It is important that you have a genuine interest in a player, Priscilla was very good at that. The player has to get a warm feeling, emotional involvement. Society in the Netherlands is generally a bit cooler than they might be used to. The warmth that they experience is a kind of battery for them. Language is also very important in that. Wamberto spoke mainly French and had difficulty with Dutch. I can speak French, while Priscilla is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish. She was very important to the Latinos . You have to be able and willing to understand it.”
“The social-empathic part is hard to measure,” says Endt. “It doesn’t happen in a full house or stadium, but when you are at home, go out to dinner together or go somewhere in the car. Priscilla once went to the doctor with Wamberto’s children and wife. Those are the moments where you build a bond.”
‘Measurable factors’
Endt takes George Ogararu as an example. He knows that the Romanian had a hard time in his early days at Ajax. “He was quite confused, how happy he was that I found him a church that suited him. We went to look at a house together. The real estate agent was enthusiastic and I also thought it was a nice house, but I felt that George didn’t want it,” says Endt. “Afterwards he thanked me and admitted that he found it difficult to say no and it just wasn’t his place. Those are unmeasurable factors. A club pays a lot of money for a player, but you have to invest in that too. “If you don’t, you’re doing potential destruction of capital. Even players who are less successful still have a warm feeling at Ajax. But things also sometimes go wrong, for example with Ledezma and other guys who couldn’t get around a country.”
Ajax will do everything it can to keep Antony even longer. That will be a difficult task: the top clubs are already rattling the gates for the brand new Brazilian international. “It’s hard to say now whether he should stay or not,” Wamberto said. “If you’re at the Selection comes, there are many clubs willing to pay a lot of money for you. Antony must continue to concentrate on Ajax and not listen too much to what others think. He has to rely on Edwin van der Sar, Marc Overmars and the people within Ajax. The most important thing for him is the performance for Ajax.”
Will Antony make it to the top?
“Yes, I think so,” Wamberto answers convincingly. “When he was still playing for São Paulo, I already said: this is going to be a player who is going to make it to the top. If you play at Ajax, it goes much faster. Ajax has done very well by getting him, because Antony is a top talent.”
Endt hopes to be able to admire Antony in the Ajax shirt for a long time to come. “Players should be more aware of the qualities they have and not just look at the big money. He can live up to his way of playing at Ajax in an inimitable way. You can also make the step when you are 25 and then somewhere else.” to earn a lot of money.”
“The chemistry at this Ajax is priceless and that also has to do with the role that the Latinos play. I am happy that Antony has landed well and happy feels at Ajax. He also owes a lot to David Neres, who more or less paved the way for him. Neres is an experience expert. He can share the things he encounters with Antony.”
(Tim van Duijn/VoetbalPrimeur)
