René van der Gijp and Johan Derksen cannot understand the direction Ajax have taken under Jordi Cruyff. On Vandaag Inside, they tore into the Amsterdam club's summer transfer business after Thursday evening's European humiliation against Hajduk Split in the Conference League.
Quoting Valentijn Driessen, presenter Wilfred Genee describes Ajax as a 'ragtag bunch'. Van der Gijp agrees. "We spoke very differently about Ajax three months ago. Back then, we all thought: now it's going to happen," the former footballer recalls.
When the many new arrivals came in, Van der Gijp already had doubts. "Of all the signings, I really only knew the goalkeeper, Ter Stegen, Brandt and that striker, Tolu. With the rest, I thought: that may be all well and good, but I'll have to see for myself first." Van der Gijp is particularly baffled by the decision to start 18-year-old left-back Joffre Torrents for the first time.
What surprises Van der Gijp most, however, is the power Cruyff has been given at Ajax. "After everything you went through with Mislintat, I don't understand why you're now giving Cruyff a free hand," he says. Derksen agrees: "You've hit the nail on the head. I don't understand it at all. You had such bad experiences giving all the power to an unknown German, and now you're taking someone on because of his surname."
Derksen believes Cruyff has not proved enough to be given so much responsibility. "His father was a great, but Jordi hasn't really shown anything special since his playing career. It's a leap into the dark, and you can only hope the supporters are satisfied because his name is Cruyff."
At Ajax, Van der Gijp also sees a lack of experienced football people who can correct whoever is in charge of technical matters when necessary. He questions the transfer policy too, particularly the signing of Viktor Tsygankov. "You're looking for a winger who makes runs in behind, and they had two months to find one. Then they bring in Tsygankov, but he doesn't make runs in behind at all and always wants the ball at his feet."
Neither man is sold on Sofyan Amrabat. Derksen calls him 'average'. Van der Gijp partly agrees, though he thinks the midfielder can hold his own physically. "He does have a physical presence, but he is a limited footballer, it's true," says the former right winger.
Turning to Cruyff's choice of Míchel Sánchez as coach, Derksen says: "I knew straight away Jordi would bring along a Spanish friend. If he does a fantastic job, I'll be delighted for him, but we haven't had that impression so far. He doesn't know Dutch football at all."