Ajax boss Schreuder left with egg on face over Antony Man Utd comments
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Ajax head coach Alfred Schreuder appears to have shot himself in the foot with comments he made in reference to Antony’s potential transfer to Manchester United earlier this summer. The Dutchman, who has also worked at Barcelona (assistant) and Club Brugge in the past two years, attempted to convince the Brazilian to stay at Ajax by making a dig at Manchester United for failing to qualify for the Champions League.
During a long-running saga in which questions on Antony’s future became somewhat tedious, Schreuder made it clear that the chance to play in Europe’s elite club competition should override any Premier League dream for the player.
He told ESPN: “We play Champions League, I don’t think United do.”
Before later continuing: “I want Antony to stay, so I don’t assume he will be sold.
“The money we are talking about is absurd these days. [But] we’ve already sold five or six base players. I don’t like it if we sell another player. I think we are very strong financially.”
Much to the frustration of Schreuder, Antony was sold and a blockbuster £86million deal was agreed just before the end of the summer transfer window, leaving Ajax with little time to find a replacement.
Despite a promising start in the Eredivisie – having collected 19 points from a possible 24 – Ajax are now beginning to miss their South American superstar.
On Tuesday night, they were handed a 6-1 pasting in front of their own supporters by one of Europe’s most in-form teams in Napoli to crank up the pressure on Schreuder.
Yet it was his comments after the game that created huge cause for concern when he appeared to concede defeat in the race for qualification for the knockout stages after just three matches.
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He said: “If you are being realistic, making it out of the group stages is very difficult for us.”
Considering Schreuder had used Champions League football in his bid to persuade Antony to stay at the club, he does not have much confidence in his side.
At the moment, Ajax are in third place and on course to drop into the Europa League – where they could ironically meet Manchester United.
The 6-1 demolition job left Ajax supporters scratching their heads as to why Schreuder failed to try and change the game with some earlier substitutions.
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To rub salt into the wounds, talisman Dusan Tadic was also sent off following a second yellow card – meaning he will miss the return fixture in Naples.
To make matters worse, Ajax defender Jurrien Timber ha since admitted that he did not agree with his manager’s assessment – that Napoli and Liverpool were too good for the Dutch giants and that qualification for the knockout stages is unlikely.
Timber said: “I understand he says this, but personally I don’t like to think in the same way. Before I begin the match, I think: ‘we are going to destroy them’.”
Ajax got off to a flier on matchday one as they hammered Rangers 4-0 in Amsterdam. They now travel to Napoli next week, looking to atone for a miserable performance that places Schreuder’s job under threat.
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