Óscar García told NU.nl he got the most out of the squad during his brief spell as Ajax coach. The Spaniard believes he would have done much better this season.
Technical director Jordi Cruyff appointed García in March to succeed Fred Grim and secure European football. "I got everything I could out of the squad," García now believes.
"When I was appointed, people at the club were very worried that we might not even qualify for European football. In the end, we may not have done perfectly, but we did well. If a club's aim is to play in the Champions League, it needs the squad for it and a team that can perform consistently. That requires quality, but also continuity and a clear direction within the club. They do have that this season."
Last summer, Cruyff invested heavily in the squad and assembled a team expected to challenge for the title straight away. "I knew Jordi's plans," García said. "I didn't know how many players would arrive, but I knew he might bring in as many as half a team and turn it into a squad capable of winning the title."
"I also said at the time: 'With me or with another coach, Ajax will be champions next season.' They may not be showing it yet, but they will be champions this season. I would have done 100 per cent better with this squad than I did last season," he believes.
García wanted to stay, but Cruyff chose Míchel Sánchez instead. "If you don't hear anything in the final weeks of the season, they're choosing someone else. That's how football works. Two days after the last match, I heard it was over. Of course, that was a huge disappointment for me."
Despite his disappointment, García does not regret his decision to help Ajax. "No, I would make the same choice now. It was a huge opportunity for me at the time. Of course, the situation changed afterwards, but I can't regret it. Ajax are a great club."
García is now head coach of Polish club Pogon Szczecin. They are joint third in the league and have gone ten matches unbeaten.