“What I find funny is that we have sometimes had words. It was about players. For example, with the contract extension of AZ talent Myron Boadu. Max thought that I was influenced too much by Mino Raiola. Ultimately I suggested having a bite to eat in Bergen and we talked it out there.”
“What I mean by this is that Max even argues with his best friends to get the best out of AZ. That says a lot about his dedication to his club.”
Another situation that Fortes Rodriguez will not soon forget is the departure of AZ’s technical director Marcel Brands in 2010. The Alkmaar club will look for a successor with general manager Toon Gerbrands and Supervisory Board chairman René Neelissen.
“I called René and told him that they had to choose Max,” Fortes Rodriguez looks back on that telephone conversation. “I worked with Max at the time and thought he was the very best for that position. Unfortunately, they didn’t want to listen to me and were already in discussions with Earnest Stewart and chose him.”
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