Daley Blind has returned to an Ajax side he believes is moving in the right direction. In the view of the 36-year-old defender, much of that is down to coach Míchel.
Asked by Ziggo Sport what he found at Ajax after being away for a while, Blind admitted things had changed. "Yes, it was different from how I had left it. That’s true," the veteran said after the 1-4 win over FK Vojvodina in the Conference League qualifying round.
From the moment he walked back in, Blind felt the shift. "But I have to say: from the moment I walked in, the tone had already been set by the coach. There was a new wind blowing, there was a lot of positivity in the group," Blind said, paying the Spanish coach a compliment. "And of course that still has to grow as well."
He added: "And you hear that from the lads as well. They have also been difficult years. For the fans. But also for the players themselves. And that feeling of being a team, of unity, of confidence. Of positivity that goes hand in hand with victories. I think we have been doing well with that over the last two matches as well."
Looking ahead to the start of the new VriendenLoterij Eredivisie season, Blind sounded full of confidence. "And that has to keep growing and really come alive again. I think that is moving in the right direction," he said.
After Thursday’s 1-4 win, next week’s return leg against Vojvodina already looks like a formality. Their opponents in the third qualifying round will probably be Irish side Shelbourne FC, who beat Nomme Kalju of Estonia 5-2.