ANP Maurice Steijn
NOS Voetbal•vandaag, 13:30
The preparation of Ajax was far from flawless. Three defeats and quite a few goals were conceded, but new trainer Maurice Steijn is not at all worried about the coming season.
“We are ready”, it sounds confident at the press conference a day before the premier league starts for the team from Amsterdam with a home match against Heracles Almelo.
“Of course, we have had a few unfortunate defeats, but it was clear what was lacking. You could see it getting better during the preparation.”
Steijn has confidence in Ajax selection: ‘Happy with guys who start tomorrow’
Steijn, who was at the helm of Sparta last season, sees that his team has “grown together” in recent weeks. “And you will see that tomorrow. This is the Ajax I stand for.”
Forging a tight team
And what exactly does the 49-year-old trainer stand for? “For forging a close-knit team, wanting to win games at all costs, working hard, training hard. If you can add that to the quality that is present, it could well be a nice mix this season.”
In that “nice mix” Ajax is missing a number of pillars that have left the club this summer. For example, captain Dusan Tadic (Fenerbahce), Mexican international Edson Álvarez (West Ham United) and Orange defender Jurriën Timber (Arsenal) left Amsterdam.
Steijn thinks Bergwijn is ready for captaincy: ‘See him as a new generation’
“The situation is as it is,” said Steijn about his current selection. “I have eighteen fit players tomorrow and enough quality in my opinion.”
Measuring with Feyenoord and PSV
Steijn therefore thinks that Ajax can compete with the other champion candidates Feyenoord and PSV. “I think we certainly have enough qualities in these games to measure ourselves against the other championship contenders. And soon, with a few reinforcements added, I don’t think that is a discussion at all.”
The team from Amsterdam will compete for the championship with Steven Bergwijn as the new captain. Steijn also has every confidence in the 25-year-old attacker. “He is in a phase where he is ready for that. He is a good age, is a boy of the club, boy of the city, international and very crazy things have to happen if he is not to be a basic player.”
It also became clear at the press conference that acquisitions Branco van den Boomen and Jakov Medic can count on a basic place against Heracles. Van den Boomen, who came over from Toulouse, made a good impression in the preparation. For the time being, Medic is preferred to youth player Olivier Aertssen.
Steven Berghuis still has to serve a suspension of three league matches. According to Steijn, Carlos Forbs Borges is not ready for a whole game. “He’s not that fit yet, but I think he can come in,” said Steijn about the attacker who played in Manchester City’s second team last season.
At the press conference it was also about Wesley Sneijder, who would like to play a trainer’s role at the Amsterdam club. According to Steijn, the door is still open for him.
Steijn is ‘still’ in favor of Sneijder’s arrival: ‘The door is always open’
2023-08-11 11:30:39
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