At Ajax, the word crisis has been dusted off again

Kudus keeps a ball high, Tadic puts his hands in front of his face, Berghuis looks disappointed, it is 5-1 for Napoli. Ajax had to concede another goal on Tuesday evening.Statue Guus Dubbelman / de Volkskrant

Ajax is used to acting big, whether it’s because of the gold print on the shirts, or by raising salaries for top players to 4, sometimes 5 million euros. The leadership implemented that high wage policy in 2018, not to beat RKC, but to become and remain champions, and even more so to successfully compete in the Champions League; the level at which Ajax thinks it belongs.

Part 1 of the mission was successful. Ajax normally raises tens of millions, due to the almost permanent participation in recent years. Part 2 appears, with exceptions, to be an illusion. It is as if Ajax is staring at the starry sky through a telescope and cannot get the perspective sharp.

Ajax is a trading house and one year the goods thrive better than the next. Trainer Alfred Schreuder resisted the sale of Antony to the utmost, shortly before the market closed. In the end, the Brazilian left, for roughly 100 million euros. Logically. Position improvement. After the intervention of the supervisory board, Lucas Ocampos did not come as a purchase of millions, but as a mercenary. He wasn’t even allowed to come in on Tuesday. Dusan Tadic was static where Antony once whirled and got the red card. That is just one aspect of the transfer policy, in which more than twice as much was raised than was spent (200 to 100 million). The selection is less of quality.

From euphoric to annoying

As euphoric as the atmosphere has sometimes been in the Johan Cruijff Arena in recent years, it was so annoying on Tuesday, with dripping ‘success supporters’. ‘We had very nice evenings, but now it’s different’, says Steven Berghuis. That is saying a lot. That’s how sport is, that’s how sport should be. Recognize that someone else is better.

Schreuder continues to analyze, while supporters scream for his head. Do they still remember how predecessor Erik ten Hag’s first half year went? Answer: very moderate. They want other players. Other bills. Another trainer. Daley Blind and Dusan Tadic, the leaders of the new policy in 2018, are now lagging behind, which has consequences for the hierarchy, certainly in the heads. Everyone followed captain Tadic when he submitted the best figures, also in terms of professional ethics. Now that he’s dropping out, temporarily or otherwise, his words (“we made a lot of mistakes, we have many new players, this must not happen”) takes on a high level of pathetic.

Schreuder said they are better and further at Napoli. Steven Bergwijn and Jurriën Timber wisely kept their mouth shut, afraid of disrupting relationships. Timber played his least game in over a year. Ajax was especially unable to do anything against the extreme pressure of the Italians, as Liverpool and AZ already did in the fight against Ajax.

Separate

A result like 1-6, that can happen once. Four matches in a row without a win is already special for Ajax. Or not quite? After Calvin Bassey was already declared a cult footballer, he turns out not to be as good as Lisandro Martinez. Tadic is not Anthony. Kenneth Taylor is not yet Ryan Gravenberch. Berghuis can play football well, but if they are close to him, playing at the highest level is difficult for him, also physically. Striker Sébastien Haller scored ten goals in the group stage last season, and now the coach doesn’t know who to put in front. Kudus of Brobbey. Rensch is not Mazraoui, who left for Bayern like Gravenberch, and you can go on like that. Steven Bergwijn was reserve at Spurs and must now be the star of the team.

The departure of director of football affairs Marc Overmars due to transgressive behavior and his quick succession by the inexperienced duo Huntelaar-Hamstra was far from smooth, as it regularly rumbles in the club management, also in terms of communication. All in all, the selection has in any case not improved, which may not be possible if you receive a hundred million more than you spend.

The fact is, now that the word crisis has already been dusted off: Ajax has only won against Fortuna, FC Groningen, Sparta, FC Utrecht, Cambuur and Heerenveen this season, plus Rangers in the Champions League. On Saturday, Volendam awaits, a club with former Ajax employees eager for revenge, including trainer Wim Jonk. They work according to Cruijff’s philosophy, but on a small scale. They flax in the fishing village in a brave act, to make Ajax a little smaller.

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