Spijkerman and Groenendijk to assist Ten Cate
22 May: Henk ten Cate officially signed his two year
contract as head-coach of Ajax today, as part of a press
presentation at the Amsterdam ArenA. The two
coach-assistants Ten cate selected did the same
thing: they are Hennie Spijkerman (with whom Ten Cate once
worked at Go Ahead Eagles) and Fons Groenendijk, who coached
Ajax A2 this season and was also John van den Brom's assistant
at Young Ajax. Goalkeepers' coach Fred Grim is the only
member of the 'old' technical staff to continue his work next
season.
The appointment of Hennie Spijkerman (born
Zwolle, 28 October 1950) comes as a bit of a surprise.
Spijkerman was never mentioned as a serious
candidate in the Dutch press and he has no Ajax history.
However, Spijkerman and Henk ten Cate go way back: they worked
together for the youth academy of Go Ahead Eagles, back in the
late 1980s. They coached the Deventer club's A1 youth team
together and have been friends eversince. Ten Cate and
Spijkerman are known to be 'on the same wavelength' when it
comes to the way football should be played.
As a player Spijkerman was a product of the PEC Zwolle
youth system. His professional career - at Go Ahead Eagles -
was short: five years, from 1972 to 1977. From 1977 to 1993
Spijkerman continued to work at Deventer's Eagles'
Nest, as a youth coach and a coach-assistant with the
first team. His career as a head-coach started at
Hoofdklasse amateur side ROHDA Raalte (1993-1996).
Spijkerman also coached Hoofdklasse amateurs Urk
(1996-1999) and professional clubs VVV-Venlo (1999-2000),
FC Emmen (2001-2003) and FC Zwolle (2003-2006). At the latter
club Spijkerman made headlines in the fall of 2005: he resigned
when frustrated Zwolle 'supporters' threatened him and his
family.
Alfons Groenendijk (born Leiden, 17 May
1964) does have a history at Ajax: in the summer of
2001 coach Louis van Gaal landed the left-footed midfielder as
the successor of Richard Witschge. Between 21 August 1991
and 13 March 1993 Groenendijk had 27 official Ajax-1
appearances: 22 in the Eredivisie (1 goal), 2 in the Dutch KNVB
Cup and 3 in the UEFA Cup. He belonged to the Ajax squad that
won the UEFA Cup in 1992 and the KNVB Cup in 1993.
Before he joined Ajax Groenendijk played (as a
youth player) for amateur sides LFC and UVS. His professional
career started at FC Den Haag (1982-1987). Groenendijk then
joined Roda JC (1987-1991). After his spell at De Meer
he moved on to play for Manchester City (1993-1994), Sparta
(1994-1998) and FC Utrecht (1998-2001). Fons Groenendijk played
411 league games (61 goals) over-all.
After his career as a player Groenendijk coached
Hoofdklasse amateurs VV Katwijk (2001-2002) before he
returned to Ajax as a youth coach. During the 2005-2006
campaign he coached the Ajax A2 team and assisted
Young Ajax coach John van den Brom. Groenendijk is regarded as
a talented 'field coach'.
Henk ten Cate, Hennie Spijkerman and Fons Groenendijk penned
their new two year deals at the press-room of the Amsterdam
ArenA today and answered questions from the press. So did
technical director Martin van Geel. Here is a selection of
quotes...
Martin van Geel
On Henk ten Cate: "Henk has everything it takes to
be head-coach of Ajax. He's got loads of experience in
domestic and international football, he was succesful
with attractive football everywhere he worked, he's an advocate
of offensive football, he's got the authority required
at a top club and he very obviously made his players
better footballers. Furthermore, Henk's got a tremendous drive,
he's very ambitious and he demands a lot from himself
and his environment. Which is exactly what Ajax
need at the moment."
On Hennie Spijkerman: "Henk has had a good partnership with
Hennie in the past and we agreed on Henk's choice. Hennie
Spijkerman has experience as a coach. He's not a big name, and
he is well aware of that himself, but names are not important
to us. Just like Fons Groenendijk, Hennie complements Henk very
well: he's a bit more calm and cautious."
On Fons Groenendijk: "Fons can inspire players.
He's got a great sense of humour and he really knows how to
strike the right chord with a player, without losing his
authority."
On Fred Grim: "I am very glad that Fred is staying.
He's a craftsman. A specialist, who can make goalkeepers
better. Also, he's a very important preserver of Ajax
culture, because of his history at the club."
Henk ten Cate
"I am happy and very proud to be the new head-coach of Ajax.
I'm already looking forward to July 3rd, the day of our first
training. We're going to make it a good time over here. And I
want to ask everyone: please judge on us based on what you see
- and form your own reasonable opinion. Ajax must return to the
top - and we have to accomplish that with combined efforts
and a whole new élan."
"I have a very good feeling about my new job. We must
be in the race for the championship until the last day and we
must accomplish that by playing quality football."
"You have to think step by step. First of all, we must make
Ajax champions of The Netherlands again. Three titles in ten
seasons is not enough for this club."
"I don't want to look back, but to the future. I want to
start this job with an open mind. And I want to stress that
nothing I do not wish to say anything against Danny Blind. I do
not know the conditions he was working under. All I can do is
look at the plain figures and notice that Ajax finished 24
points behind PSV. I do not know how that happened and I can
not tell you just yet what we need to change."
"No, I will not go to VV Hierden vs Ajax tomorrow.
It would be not done if everyone focuses on my presence over
there, whereas a respected colleague of mine should get the
respect he deserves."
"Let's never forget that we play football to entertain the
people. That will always be the number one thing that drives
me."
"I am very glad that Jaap Stam has joined Ajax. He has
experience on the highest international level. It would be
a good thing if we could land another player like that. (...)
Yes, I've called Edgar Davids. He was surprised but very
pleased to hear that I will be the new coach of Ajax.
It's not a matter of sentiments; it's a matter of money. I
can not say how likely it is that he will join
us."
Hennie Spijkerman
"Ajax is a good and beautiful club. I particularly look
forward to working with this technical staff. It looks very
good. Of course we're hoping for success with Ajax. Living up
to the high expectations, that's what it's all about. That is
our challenge."
"At the end of the day you want to work with the best
players, as a coach. Of course I don't have a problem
with being an assistant. To me it is about the sense of unity
between Henk, the rest of the staff and myself. There's enough
space to work pleasantly as an assistant."
"A man can not do everything on his own at a club like Ajax.
You have to do it together and you should be able to trust each
other. I am doing some interviews now, because I'm new, but
normally Henk is the man to communicate with the press. It is
the job of Fons Groenendijk and me to make sure that Henk can
do his work properly. I know my place and I know what will
be expected from me."
Fons Groenendijk
"This is a wonderful new opportunity. And it was great to be
asked. It's a new challenge to be a coach-assistant and
especially at this club. Had I expected this? It just happened
to me. To be honest with you I was having a pretty good time at
De Toekomst already."
"I was asked [to become a coach-assistant for Ten Cate, ed.]
last Thursday. Why? You'll have to ask Henk. All I can say is
that it was a pleasant surprise, especially because I don't
exactly have an impressive Ajax history. Nor do I have 50 caps
for Holland. But Henk and I knew each other already. We worked
together at Sparta." (MP)
Source: Ajax.nl
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