Maurice Steijn’s days as Ajax coach are numbered. At least that is what Gertjan Verbeek expects, who will be a guest with Jeroen Ketting in our football talk show De Aftrap tonight. “The only thing that can save him are results and they have not been achieved so far,” said Verbeek, who compares Steijn’s situation with his own period as Feyenoord’s coach.
In Rotterdam, Verbeek was set aside in January 2009 after just over six months of employment. “You are at the wrong club at the wrong time. The situation is becoming increasingly untenable. It can never be long before they make an unpleasant decision. Or he has to know how to turn it around.”
Sixteenth place
The 1-2 home defeat against AZ caused Ajax to slip to sixteenth place in the Premier League. Jeroen Ketting, former player of AZ, HFC Haarlem and FC Volendam, saw again in that match how vulnerable Ajax was. “They were completely overrun in midfield. When you see the switch, it is almost laughable at that level. That is almost impossible. It is also a matter of trust. In terms of names, there are still boys who you expect should be able to do something. but if they can’t do that, where will it come from?”
Next week Ajax will play away against bottom-of-the-table FC Utrecht. According to Verbeek, currently an analyst at ESPN, this will be a crucial match for Maurice Steijn. If Ajax loses, Verbeek expects the curtain will fall for the trainer. After which the next problem arises: who should Ajax take by the hand? Verbeek: “Maybe Van Gaal will want to take final responsibility, because as an advisor he has no responsibility. That’s nice.”
You can watch De Afkick every Friday from 5:10 PM on TV on NH Sport. This is followed by repetition every hour.