Ajax Coaches

[Kowalczyk]

It would be a bad idea, if only because everybody (including the players) will know that he was not exactly the man of Ajax's preference, but more like an emergency option, in case nobody wanted the job.

I think Danny Blind had a promising start and a very remarkable last few weeks (so remarkable that it must have made the board feel extremely uncomfortable), but in between Ajax played some of the worst football I have ever seen them play.

More importantly, I just don't think Danny Blind is the big man, the top drawer 'boss', to take this club to a next level. It's gonna be a bit better than under Van Basten, or a bit worse, or more or less the same, whatever, but not fundamentally different, by any means. Since that's what I was hoping for (a top drawer 'boss', an independent thinker), Danny Blind would be a major disappointment.

I would be tremendously underwhelmed.

K.

[bryan]

Danny Blind is the man who thought that we could do with a defender less and sold Escude (our best defender) during Christmas. EVEN THOUGH HE WANTED TO STAY. For the rest of the season our defence was shit. Julien Escude duly won two UEFA Cups with Sevilla.

Danny Blind is also the man who fucked Steven Pienaar around, WHO WANTED TO STAY. Steven Pienaar has now been playing consistently brilliant at Everton for two seasons. I saw another fantastic assist from him on MOTD yesterday.

Danny Blind is the man who had to be told by the board that Klaas Jan Huntelaar was not signed as a number 10, but is in fact a striker/goal poacher type player.

Please god, no.

Why must they put us through this shit.

Danny Blind. A great player who loves the club, but he's wreaked enough destruction post-playing career as both director of purchasing (Frank Verlaat, Ferdi Vierklau, John Nieuwenburg, Aaron Winter, Jan van Halst) and manager (see above). I know he loves the club, but that doesn't give him a god given right to work at it.

[Cedric]

why call back the coach who got the most desastrous results in the championship of the last 10 years?

With Blind we went through the CL group stage, won the Dutch cup, and the play-offs. So I think we have done worse.

If you read it again, maybe you'll understand that I only mentionned the championship, the thing where he only got 60 points.
And I think it's the only thing that matters now, as Ajax is not qualified for the CL group stage, the Dutch Cup alone can't save a season, and the stupid play-offs doesn't exist anymore (well, unless the plan is to copy the mighty Feyenoord and be relieved with a place for the C3 play-offs).

[Manneken Pis]

I'm truelly flabbergasted that a club like Ajax cannot do better ....

Everyone seems to like Jol because he's a nice bloke and he improved (to some degree) clubs he went to but let's face it ... what's he actually won ? (One Dutch Cup with Roda, in case you're wondering)

Blind, well let's be honest; legend as a player, but his (limited) coaching record is not one that inspires any confidence that he's going to turn around a screwed up club like Ajax.

This is a critical moment for the club.
You don't change managers everyday (although we do it more than most).
It's a moment to make major strategic decisions based on the vision you have for the club.

IS THIS REALLY THE BEST WE CAN FIND????

If it is, the board need to look themselves in the mirror about how far down they have brought this once proud club...

P.S. What did the Coronel Report say again about the right profile for any future coach???

[Monkey Tonk]

What does Ajax expect? Why should a top coach sign with a club that will end up firing him in a year?
This season was a first step in the right direction. The coach wasn't fired, but quit. Yeah, baby! A few more of those and who knows...

I'm all out of expectations for Ajax. The past season wasn't all bad, and by March things even started to look good. But it wasn't to last. A month later the team was, once again, involved in a hopeless struggle with itself. That's what Ajax has come to. A little spark here and there, to show that what we all dream of is still possible. Soon followed by the realization that the exciting possibility will remain only that.

The heavy fascist boot of 'Europe' has squashed the life out of Ajax. Unless we are willing to take on the UEFA, with demands to make European soccer honest and fair again, the best we can hope for is a little spring flower. It won't last, but it brightens the day with a ray of joy. For a little while we can imagine that all will be right; that success is, and always was, right around the corner.

Hope is important. And we are offered plenty of opportunities to hope. Thank you Ajax.

But 'Godenzonen' (sons of gods)? What about Ajax, the little flowers?

[jamie]

I just pray to God that it won't be Blind. I would prefer anyone over Blind at this stage. I don't know too much about Jol other than that he did a pretty good job at RKC.

What really surprises me is that the media seems to have no clue this time in regards to who Ajax is talking to. Maybe it is a sign that the Ajax management is more professional then it has been in the past and that there are no leaks to the media. I am almost expecting for some really good and surprising name to come out of the hat.

[Manneken Pis]

I am almost expecting for some really good and surprising name to come out of the hat.

I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you....

I think the "Jol or if that fails Blind" leak was to prepare people for it being Blind.

I can already see the "We did everything we could to get Jol, but he refused, so now its' Blind" press release....

[SPL]

All we have spoken to is Co and Rijkaard both said no and Olsen. Do not hold your breath on Jol as he wants to go back to EPL. So that makes 4 coaches approached that we know of and now its Blind!! Do not think the board have looked that hard for a non Dutch coach. I too would be unhappy with Blind surely the club should go for someone who has not been here before.

[Ajaxfanuk]

Here's what I dont understand...Blind, nice guy that he is, put simply FAILED at Ajax, yeah we won the cup but we played awful football and had a disastrous league season. He tried, he failed...So where is the logic in bringing him back? If we brought someone back that had successes then fair enough but Blind...where is the common sense. Are we really scraping the barrel already.

Go get Ranieri or something, even if he fails at least we didnt cop out. Be brave Ajax try something new!

[jamie]

Its been three weeks now. I am getting a bit nervous. We need to reevaluate the team and sell / buy players and I really don't trust Blind to do that all by himself. He has a rather lousy track record when it comes to buying new players. I am not really sure why Ajax even hired him again as TD.

[Orange14]

the only foreign coach with a proven record that "might" want the Ajax challenge is Mirko Slomka. He did a good job with Schalke and was unfairly dismissed in my opinion. Plus he looks cool in jeans on the sidelines of matches!!

[martinkohout]

It would be a bad idea, if only because everybody (including the players) will know that he was not exactly the man of Ajax's preference, but more like an emergency option, in case nobody wanted the job.

I think Danny Blind had a promising start and a very remarkable last few weeks (so remarkable that it must have made the board feel extremely uncomfortable), but in between Ajax played some of the worst football I have ever seen them play.

More importantly, I just don't think Danny Blind is the big man, the top drawer 'boss', to take this club to a next level. It's gonna be a bit better than under Van Basten, or a bit worse, or more or less the same, whatever, but not fundamentally different, by any means. Since that's what I was hoping for (a top drawer 'boss', an independent thinker), Danny Blind would be a major disappointment.

I would be tremendously underwhelmed.

K.

Yeah, exactly. After all this talk of Co and Foppe de Haan and even Olsen and all the other names being thrown around, Blind would be a distinct letdown. Maybe he'll have learned something from his last go-round, but that seems to be a lot to ask for. His appointment would not exactly inspire confidence for next season.

Though of course I'd be thrilled to be proven wrong....

[The Purple Cow]

I see Gordon Strachan is free...

[aveslacker]

I really, really don't want Blind to be coach again. Hiring Blind would be one of the biggest disappointments of my Ajax fan-hood. Please, no.

[jamie]

I can't see it happening. RvdB seems to be a smart man and realizes that his neck is on the line. The fans won't accept another gap year and Blind just does not have the right qualification, experience and past results to allow him to have a run at it again. I was a fan of him when he was a player however he has not really resulted into anything since retiring from active football.

[acab]

I don't think that the bord is so stupid. No way. I think we'll be surprised after all. Till the end of the week we'll have new coach and he's not going to be Blind. i'm sure. Or at least hope so

[jamie]

There is a Dutch football show on TV now (Voetbal International) and the guys are talking about Jol having been in talks with Ajax all day. He wants to take his own staff with him and that seems to be the point which is delaying a possible agreement. Petrovich is not very much liked by the Amsterdam supporters.

[martinkohout]

Jol would be infinitely preferable to Blind.

Still pining for Co, though.

[jamie]

I agree, anything better than Blind. They really need to get this position filled quickly. I have been checking the headlines every hour for weeks now hoping for news.

[acab]

Who is Petrovich? I know Lupko Petrovich, who won the ECC with Red Star and years later became one of the most loved coaches in history of Levski. It's not him i suppose

[martinkohout]

Who is Petrovich? I know Lupko Petrovich, who won the ECC with Red Star and years later became one of the most loved coaches in history of Levski. It's not him i suppose

Zelko Petrovich, former Montenegran player for several Dutch teams, primarily RKC Waalwijk (whom he also managed). Was a coach at F-word in '04-'05 and this year was Jol's assistant at Hamburg.

[jamie]

And he played for the lampjes for a few seasons. I have seen him many times on TV and he speaks in this really annoying way.

[martinkohout]

From Wikipedia: "Jol left with the respect and admiration of Tottenham's fans, and is the club's most successful manager in the Premier League era."

Since Tottenham is considered England's "Jewish" club, perhaps Ajax is a logical destination for him!

[Manneken Pis]

According to VI:

Ajax has a five year contract ready for Jol to sign.

They are now going to see HSV to get them to release him (under contract 'til 2010).
Jol has had disputes with HSV's leadership recently about the transfer policy so they're not getting on well.

There is also a point of contention about Jol bringing his own staff (i.e. Petrovic) because the Coronel report concluded that this practice needed to be stopped (probably to ensure a longer term consistent "boot-room" culture and philosophy).

[SE6Ajacied]

According to VI:

Ajax has a five year contract ready for Jol to sign.

They are now going to see HSV to get them to release him (under contract 'til 2010).
Jol has had disputes with HSV's leadership recently about the transfer policy so they're not getting on well.

There is also a point of contention about Jol bringing his own staff (i.e. Petrovic) because the Coronel report concluded that this practice needed to be stopped (probably to ensure a longer term consistent "boot-room" culture and philosophy).

Well I for one could live with this. I think Jol did really well for his first two seasons at Tottenham (bearing in mind the fact that Spurs are never going to win the league and as Villa have shown this season, breaking into the top four even is near impossible) and the appalling way he was treated by them in his last season at least partly mitigates for the poorer results.

Don't follow the Bundesliga so can't say much about his results there but Jol always struck me as a fundementally decent sort of chap as well as a good coach (I remember watching his last ever game at Spurs where he was more or less fired at half-time and his decorum and manner on the touchline I thought spoke volumes).

As for the backroom staff, I understand the sticking point but bringing in your own team is hardly revolutionary and I think insisting on a certain assistant manager etc could actually work against us in terms of getting the type of truly experienced coach we are alledgedly trying to attract.