‘If no longer exists’, Alfred Schreuder says almost poetically, during the conversation with reporters in the boardroom of Ajax, after the first training of the season. It is about players who may or may not leave during turbulent transfer times. An exodus? “I know it’ll be okay.” Footballers come and go, although he hopes that top players such as Jurriën Timber and Antony will stay. But even Ajax will soon be on the field with eleven men.
The championship bowls shine in neat rows on the snow-white wall. His statement about if, which no longer exists, reflects the transformation into a mature, balanced head coach. He is convinced of his qualities and knows that he has to take everything into account, while delegating is crucial, also when it comes to attracting top players. ‘I need players who would like to play at Ajax, because a next step is possible here.’
Whether it is a good entry point, after years of success under Erik ten Hag, with PSV and Feyenoord as increasingly relentless fighters? ‘In life you should try to look at what you do have, rather than what you don’t have. What you don’t have often feels negative.’ He doesn’t want to think that way. He says he’s been through enough. Daughter Anouk died in 2006 at the age of 6 of a brain tumor.
Complaining doesn’t help either. What you do have here is extremely much. The club is healthy, there is a lot of talent, the selection is strong. If you can become Ajax’s trainer, you can only be happy about that.’ Of course, next season’s international calendar is ‘crazy’, but ‘we have to make the best of it.’
Psychologist
Schreuder likes simplicity. He met his wife Esther at the fair in the place where he was born, raised and still lives, Barneveld. Or is it a coincidence, all those trainers and directors of football affairs (first Overmars, now Huntelaar/Hamstra) from far outside Amsterdam? “I don’t think it matters much where you come from. But Erik (ten Hag, from Haaksbergen) and I have both played in the same position as footballers. That applies to many later trainers: they were defenders or midfielders. For example, as the captain of NAC, I wanted everyone to feel comfortable, whether they were from Brazil or Hungary. If you give heat, you can also demand a lot. If you invest in the person behind the player, you have a greater chance of success. That’s my profile, that I’m a connector. You don’t have to come especially from the east or the center of the country for that.’ He regularly talks to a psychologist to stay close to himself.
Schreuder mainly observes on Friday, during the first training. Assistant Michael Reiziger spoke among all those players, including the fit-looking Mo Ihattaren. Ajax is still without the internationals. General manager Edwin van der Sar shakes hands. Yes, it is busy, with all those in and out transfers. Schreuder relies on the process of praising and bidding.
He felt at an early age that he would become a trainer, as a logical exit from a life as a professional. Yes, he can also talk about farming life in Barneveld, near Stroe (‘around the corner from me’) where protests against the nitrogen laws were held this week. of the cabinet concentrated. He talks about birds, worms in the soil and injections. He just doesn’t report in detail, because he doesn’t know the finer points. But he has sympathy for the farmers. That’s for sure.
Only: football is his thing, at the biggest club in the country, where he hopes to be purified, thanks to the peace he has found. “You have to be able to let go, because you know there are good people on board.” He has learned a lot in three seasons that he was away from Ajax, where he was previously an assistant to Ten Hag. Ronald Koeman in particular was a teacher at Barcelona. He really dared to let go. He remained calm under the utmost pressure. He always said: you can’t influence some things anyway.’
He won the national title at Club Brugge last season. At Ajax it feels ‘familiar’ again. ‘I don’t feel like I have to prove myself. I’d like to do this. Creating a certain calm in the workplace and filtering: what is important to me?’
Stay calm
At Hoffenheim, after he left Ajax in 2019 to be the head coach, he was seduced by unrest. “We were seventh. It went wrong three games before the end. Internally I was too busy getting the selection in order for next season. That made me restless. I learned a lot from that. Keep calm, trust people who determine policy. My business is preparing the team and working with people who all have their specialism.’
Julian Nagelsmann, to whom he was previously an assistant at Hoffenheim, “was again extremely good at developing training methods and varying system or field occupation.” Partly for this reason Ajax attracted Matthias Kaltenbach van Hoffenheim for the staff, which was at the expense of Winston Bogarde. ‘The intention of many exercises will remain the same, only the form can be different. He can add a new sauce, which is good for players. Refreshing.’
Yes, eventually he wants to win the Champions League, as unrealistic as that may sound. Because winning, that’s what it’s all about at Ajax. ‘Setting the bar high everywhere. We will try to win every prize.’