Ajax’ Martin van Geel comes out stronger

Marco van Basten was looking over Martin van Geel’s shoulder at the presentation of Ajax’ investigative report. It was a coincidence, but symbolic at the same time. Van Geel found a chair at the back of the auditorium, right under a framed picture of a young San Marco in his Ajax-jersey.

Sometime this week, Ajax expects to sign the former Ajax striker and current Oranje team manager as their new coach for next season. He will be signed by a technical director who will be able to use the no-nonsense report as a weapon to strengthen his position.

True, Van Geel is seriously criticized in the report but other than with general manager Fonteyn, the criticism on Van Geel is “professional” while the criticism on Fonteyn is personal. Fonteyn is said to be distant, arrogant and cold, lacking any feeling with football. The criticism on Van Geel can easily be seen as criticism on the Ajax’ structure. Van Geel could use that to finally change things for the better.

The committee, led by Uri Coronel, came up with a profile for the new manager and Maarten Fonteyn doesn’t fit that new profile by any measure. The new manager should “feel at home in the world of football”, is supposed to be “a people manager and a warm personality” who feels comfortable in boardrooms and among hardcore supporters. Fonteyn was the only key-player absent during the presentation.

Van Geel has received several signals from within the organisation that he has the support of the people and that there is a future for him at Ajax.
And it seems logical. Every one can see that Van Geel has done a lot of signings to strengthen Ajax “in the width”. But when criticizing, it’s also important to understand the base-position. When Van Geel started his job in the summer of 2006, ten Ajax players walked out the door transfer-free. Among them Steven Pienaar, Trabelsi, Maxwell and Thomas Galasek. Van Geel wasn’t guilty of that. And it certainly was the destruction of capital, which resulted in the defeat in the pre-CL tournament against FC Kopenhagen. This immediately limited Van Geel’s reach to find new and equal players.

And in terms of scouting… Several scouts saw Hungarian talent Dzsudzsak play. And all of them were negative. Do not sign him. PSV snatched him up and the player with the tough name is the best player in Eindhoven week in week out. Is that Van Geel’s fault?

The Coronel committee advises Ajax after ten years of zig-zagging on the management-model for technical policies. Will you allow one man to manage the whole technical field of the club, like Van Gaal did in the period 1991 -1997? Or do you implement the model of a coach who is responsible for Ajax 1 only, backed by a more permanent technical director as it is now (Koster = coach, Van Geel = technical director).

If Ajax opts for model 1, than only Guus Hiddink seems to be capable of filling those shoes. Ajax will opt for model 2, with a young coach (Van Basten) responsible for Ajax 1 and Van Geel as the man in power for the long term.

Armed with the new report, Van Geel can pull in the reigns of the club. And Van Geel feels the implicit support of the Coronel committee. They clearly stated that the role of Piet Keizer as “technical adviser” is superfluous and needs to go (Piet Keizer is the former legendary leftwinger, but is currently also players’ manager…). There is no need for any technical adviser.

Van Geel didn’t want to comment too much on the findings and his position. “Based on all reactions and response I received I feel supported and trusted.”

Martin van Geel in Ajax-jersey with Wim Kieft scoring