Here's an honest question; is it possible that Ajax's disappointing performances are more down to talent than his coaching skill? Is it possible Ajax's young players have been somewhat overrated just because they're Ajax products? I just ask because having seen the game yesterday, and the lack of improvement in VdV's game, could this be a possibility? Not every youth class can be great. There are duds too, even at Ajax. Not saying its true, mind you. Just asking.
Sure, if you're talking Auxerre. But against teams like Den Bosch it becomes apparent that they are under-performing, especially when the same players have succeeded in the past. And an occasional lackluster performance is one thing but it has been a fairly consistent pattern this season. Things like selling Zlatan and not getting a replacement - major screw up that hampered the coach. But I think most observers would agree that this year Koeman has not gotten the most out of what he's had, and at a club at Ajax, that is what is expected. You mention VdV, well it's more a regression than a lack of improvement isn't it? But Koeman needed to figure out how to motivate VdV...and it's not just VdV, it's several players.
1-no, and the issue is not coaching skill, but coaching tactics - as i said, i'm sure he'd do great at valencia 2-no 3-koeman is the precise reason rafi's offensive game has stalled heitinga, de jong, sneijder, de ridder, van der vaart and the rest are NOT duds... just wait and watch
Ten Cate has said on the radio today that when this season is over he would like to go somewhere where he would be in full controll. And he also said this: Yes, that means I'm interested in Ajax as well. He has been unofficially aproached a few days earlier and he said that if he is asked for the job, there is a very good chance he'll say yes. Now let's hope the board won't screw this up. Even though he'll have to do without Pienaar, vd Vaart, Trabelsi and Maxwell.
I didn't say duds. I just said overrated. We'll see yes. Its possible with a new coach, they'll start playing the 95 Ajax side. I was just putting forwared the possibility. Although I've never rated de Jong. And he had a particularly awful game yesterday. Hard to believe Escude almost went to Utd. at one point.
i didn't see thursday's disaster becuase i was at the f-word match, but escude has been one of the best players on the team for the last few months de jong is a perfect example of how koeman was ruining our young stars - simply put, he is not a CB... just like heitinga is not a MF... and so on
To be honest, I am not that surprised about the Ten Cate rumors - I thought there were already rumblings about him as early as November-December (?). As for 'full control' would that also mean controlling the player signings as well? Perhaps Co would be satisfied with being the technical director a la Van Gaal, while Ten Cate is in charge of the day-to-day tactics, etc. a la Koeman? Trabelsi will be gone, Maxwell too - but I dont know about VdV or Pienaar - dont they have some time left on their contracts?
Their contracts end medio 2006 so if we want some money for them we would have to get it now. Even though I would love to see VdV stay, the money we could get for him is important none the less. Maybe if he would sign for at least an extra year, in his and Ajax' best interest. Then maybe after another good year he could fullfill his biggest dream, go to Barca. And the two prefered succesors of Koeman are Henk Ten Cate and Martin Jol. And they are both interested. But we also need a new TD, maybe Blind? He knows everything there is to now about our youngsters and I think he is ready to go a little step higher, as long as he doesn't have all the responsability. But what players would you all like to see at Ajax next season? We need a new left back, right back, central defender, left winger, defensive midfielder and...striker . Thomas Vermaelen who is currently loaned by RBC would make a nice center back or left back. He is left footed so if he would be a center back he would have to have Heitinga next to him and not Escude. My favorite option of right back is Jantje Kromkamp, but he would be very hard to get. We can also let de Jong play there. As defensive midfielder I would love to see Davids come and de Jong can also play there. He has said he prefers to play defensive midfielder over right back. Don't know about any good left wingers, Mitea may be good enough in the future but he is far from ready now. And once again we need a striker, Kluivert?
I agree that Koeman was a bad coach for Ajax, but at the same time I find it rather pathetic that the players apparently couldn't be motivated by him. Surely if you earn that much you're big enough to take some responsibility for your own performance. I don't mean Vd Vaart, he's worked hard enough recently, but esp. against Auxerre their attitude seemed like that of a veteran side playing a friendly for charity. AFCA won't allow me to say anything about Ajax but I'll say it anyway: your lot take themselves far, far too seriously. They never seem to be having any fun, or enjoying their football.
would you under koeman? would you if he switched your position every 3 weeks, then complained about you in the press? believe me, a coach can kill his team's spirit
They're earning a 100,000 a month and playing for 30,000+ people once in a week. If that can't motivate you as a player and you need a manager to hold your hand I suggest a career change. There's plenty of people who'd kill for a job like theirs. Again, they're a bunch of spoilt cry-babies.
When I said I agreed with what you said originally, let me just specify that I'm not going along with the 'spoiled cry-babies' comment. I think that's a tad on the harsh side. I'm guessing Twente must have had that same kind of motivation this weekend against Graafschap, eh?
off the field, sure - on the field, who makes what and how many people are in the stands doesn't matter when your coach messes with your head constantly i know everything is AJAX insult to you, but let's try to remember that young men can struggle with confidence no matter how famous they are - cripes, forget young... look at arsenal everytime they play champions league complain about spoiled when the effort is not there, a complaint you cannot have at this time
It's not on the harsh side at all! If Twente were playing that badly and looking like a bunch of miserable twats all the time I'd feel exactly the same.
I made an exception for Van der Vaart didn't I. He redeemed himself in the past couple of months, he's worked very hard and I respect that. Still when I see them Ajax players both on the pitch and off the pitch, always sour-faced, you'd think they were forced to work down in the coalmines every day.
Is that's what's hidden underneath the Arena? No wonder the grass doesn't grow Seriously, what I find disgusting though (and it happens at every club) is that some millionaire kid who has won nothing significant starts to complain openly about a coach with a long list of achievements, either as player or coach. Complain to the coach, complain to the board - and leave it at that. If you really can't live with it, hand in your million euro contract.
Heard others mention him before but he's just another Mitea, runs his ass off and then gets kicked off the ball or fails to cross the ball 99% of the time. Even Rosales does better what he does. Ugh, now you sound just like my dad