Adriaanse wants Dutch title in two years' time
06 April: Co Adriaanse has unfolded his ambitions with Ajax
for the near future in a short interview with Dutch national
newspaper, de Volkskrant.
Adriaanse is known as a big-mouth. When Frank Rijkaard was
signed as the Holland national coach without possessing any
official KNVB coaching diplomas, Adriaanse called him a
"bungler". PSV's chairman, Harry van Raaij, was referred to by
the Amsterdammer as a "talking lamp-shade". It was, therefore,
surprising that Adriaanse was modest at the beginning of the
first season as a head coach at Ajax, the club of his home
town. "A position in the top five" was his goal, often
incorrectly quoted by the Dutch press as "the fifth
position".
Ajax is third at the moment, after having finished fifth and
sixth, respectively, in the two seasons before. Club and fans
are patient and - for the time being - satisfied. Nevertheless,
the team has gathered exactly the same amount of points as last
season: 50 points, out of 26 games.
"But there's a completely different team this season", says
Adriaanse. "Last season's team got stuck. They found out that
that course was not gonna bring them back to the top. I am
building a new team. This squad is already as good as last
season's team - if not better. We have the same amount of
points as last season, but the quality of our play is higher.
And, with young players such as Van der Vaart, Van der Meyde,
Van der Gun and Pasanen, this team has a good perspective for
the future. Besides, this team has the typical Ajax approach to
the game."
"Ajax is the most scoring team of the Eredivisie. After PSV
we have the highest number of corner kicks and the lowest
number of yellow cards. Those things indicate that we are in
possession of the ball, that we're attacking. I also look at
the response of the crowd. The people are enthusiastic about
us."
"You need to have the guts. Who had ever heard of Hersi,
Cruz or Van der Vaart? Youth players are offered a chance
again, to improve the team as well as giving the club an
impulse. That's why I lined up Bechan on Sunday, against NEC.
He's a kid from our A-juniors. That culture is back, at
Ajax."
Adriaanse has already bought Ruud Kras (from FC Volendam)
and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (from Malmö FF), but is still
looking for some more new players: "The defense is my priority
at the moment. Had I seen a good one, he would have been here
already. But I don't see one. It's got nothing to do with
financials. Money is not the problem."
An awkward situation which occurred under Adriaanse's
supervision is the situation with veteran midfielders Winter
and Witschge, who spend most of their time on the bench and are
referred to by some fans as "the WiWi's". Adriaanse comments:
"They still have contracts. They are part of my squad. Maybe
they'll leava Ajax, but we will not take the initiative. I
don't want to interfere in Leo Beenhakker's business."
"They're two expensive guys, making a lot of money. I wish
they'll win themselves a place in the team. Yes, that is
possible. One injury and everything changes. Maybe I'll need
them. Maybe even soon."
About Ajax' ambitions for the near future, Adriaanse says:
"This season we could qualify for the Champions League, next
season we have to qualify for the Champions League, which means
we have to finish with in the top three. And the year after
that, we have to finish in the top one." (MP)
(Source: de Volkskrant)
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