Johan Cruyff’s column:

Everyone is aware how the level of Dutch football is deteriorating. We should be ashamed that only our champions are still in the UEFA tournament. This is not just because the big money is in England, Spain and Italy. Our teams stumbled over clubs from Denmark, Sweden, Cech Republic and Croatia. It is all because of our own failing. Not just the coaches, but also the people who appointed our coaches.

Managers and executives who occupy their jobs for their ego and don’t understand football. While managing a club is a real craft. In my time as a player, Ajax only had five man in the office. Today they have hundreds, but clubs are still being managed by people who see their jobs as an interesting hobby. Look at Heerenveen and NAC, where very well performing coaches like Gert Jan Verbeek and Ernie Brandts are asked to leave, while they’re doing great! In my book, these execs have lost the plot. And the most pathetic thing is, that when a top exec leaves, at Ajax for instance, it still takes months to find a worthy successor. And still they get it wrong.

I’ve been asked to take a seat in the Ajax committee. But I refused and I think that was a wise decision. I have given Ajax many suggestions over the last years and every time they abused my advice for their own agenda. I didn’t want to be used again. They will hold me responsible, but use my reputation for their own good. Some committee members will know exactly what I mean.

Lots of people will think: there is Cruyff again. Why doesn’t he take up the glove. My answer is simple: I wanted to. But there hasn’t been anyone who asked me to solve the problem. Because they are afraid to. Because if they let me, I will solve the problem. Only, my way is not a nice one. And that’s why Ajax keeps me out of everything when the going gets tough…

Van Hanegem: Ajax, take JC on board!

 Column:

It is very strange that the Ajax committee didn’t bother to talk to Leo Beenhakker, who was technical director at Ajax some time back. Ok, the man can elaborate too much, every now and then, but he does know his business. He was in the thick of it and his signings were actually very good (Maxwell, Trabelski, Zlatan Ibrahimovic). A missed opportunity.

And Leo also knows to put his finger on the sore spot called Johan Cruyff. He always calls him the Fool on the Hill. The man who shouts from his mountain putting everyone at Ajax in an immediate stress. Well put and courageous too!

I read the typical football comments in the report. They talk about scouting players for Ajax 1. Well…in my view, Ajax should develop youngsters for the team and sign players who have arrived already and who can add value immediately. And you don’t need to scout those latter types. Look at Luque. How hard can it be? We’ve seen him play in Spain, and at Newcastle. So, if you want him, just check why he failed in England. And then you sign him, or you don’t. Sometimes people make running a football club into rocket science. Well, it isn’t.

Johan said he’d help Ajax solve their problems if they’d ask him. Well, I’d say: grab him! He is a real Ajax-man. The best player the club ever brought forward and I don’t think we’ll ever see a better player than him.

If he claims to be willing to carry the weight, go talk tio him. They are looking for a general manager. A warm personality, who can represent Ajax. Well, that figure head exists. And he claims he can solve the problems! What more do you want? You’d be stupid not to take him on on his offer. Because, if you don’t, he’ll go back to his hill and starts screaming down again. So, ask him, and then if he refuses at least you stopped him commenting on everything Ajax… And that’s another benefit…

Ajax’ Martin van Geel comes out stronger

Marco van Basten was looking over Martin van Geel’s shoulder at the presentation of Ajax’ investigative report. It was a coincidence, but symbolic at the same time. Van Geel found a chair at the back of the auditorium, right under a framed picture of a young San Marco in his Ajax-jersey.

Sometime this week, Ajax expects to sign the former Ajax striker and current Oranje team manager as their new coach for next season. He will be signed by a technical director who will be able to use the no-nonsense report as a weapon to strengthen his position.

True, Van Geel is seriously criticized in the report but other than with general manager Fonteyn, the criticism on Van Geel is “professional” while the criticism on Fonteyn is personal. Fonteyn is said to be distant, arrogant and cold, lacking any feeling with football. The criticism on Van Geel can easily be seen as criticism on the Ajax’ structure. Van Geel could use that to finally change things for the better.

The committee, led by Uri Coronel, came up with a profile for the new manager and Maarten Fonteyn doesn’t fit that new profile by any measure. The new manager should “feel at home in the world of football”, is supposed to be “a people manager and a warm personality” who feels comfortable in boardrooms and among hardcore supporters. Fonteyn was the only key-player absent during the presentation.

Van Geel has received several signals from within the organisation that he has the support of the people and that there is a future for him at Ajax.
And it seems logical. Every one can see that Van Geel has done a lot of signings to strengthen Ajax “in the width”. But when criticizing, it’s also important to understand the base-position. When Van Geel started his job in the summer of 2006, ten Ajax players walked out the door transfer-free. Among them Steven Pienaar, Trabelsi, Maxwell and Thomas Galasek. Van Geel wasn’t guilty of that. And it certainly was the destruction of capital, which resulted in the defeat in the pre-CL tournament against FC Kopenhagen. This immediately limited Van Geel’s reach to find new and equal players.

And in terms of scouting… Several scouts saw Hungarian talent Dzsudzsak play. And all of them were negative. Do not sign him. PSV snatched him up and the player with the tough name is the best player in Eindhoven week in week out. Is that Van Geel’s fault?

The Coronel committee advises Ajax after ten years of zig-zagging on the management-model for technical policies. Will you allow one man to manage the whole technical field of the club, like Van Gaal did in the period 1991 -1997? Or do you implement the model of a coach who is responsible for Ajax 1 only, backed by a more permanent technical director as it is now (Koster = coach, Van Geel = technical director).

If Ajax opts for model 1, than only Guus Hiddink seems to be capable of filling those shoes. Ajax will opt for model 2, with a young coach (Van Basten) responsible for Ajax 1 and Van Geel as the man in power for the long term.

Armed with the new report, Van Geel can pull in the reigns of the club. And Van Geel feels the implicit support of the Coronel committee. They clearly stated that the role of Piet Keizer as “technical adviser” is superfluous and needs to go (Piet Keizer is the former legendary leftwinger, but is currently also players’ manager…). There is no need for any technical adviser.