Arsenal coach Albert Stuivenberg is now being backed to become the new Ajax boss by one prominent Dutch reporter.
Ajax are searching for a new boss and have been backed to consider Arsenal assistant manager Albert Stuivenberg.
That is the verdict of Dutch reporter Milos Gouka, who has been speaking on the AD Voetbal podcast.
Ajax’s season just lurches from one disaster to the next having lost 4-3 away at Utrecht on Sunday.
An embarrassing 4-0 home defeat to rivals Feyenoord was bad enough but Ajax now sit second-bottom of the Eredivisie table.
One win in seven league games this season means Ajax have now taken action, officially parting ways with boss Maurice Steijn.
Arsenal coach Albert Stuivenberg backed for Ajax job
Steijn only arrived from Sparta Rotterdam over the summer but has already left the club after a torrid start in Amsterdam.
Ajax are back hunting for yet another manager having failed to settle since Erik ten Hag’s exit.
Dutch reporter Milos Gouka has now offered his view – and threw out the name of Arsenal coach Stuivenberg.
As quoted by Voetbalzone, Gouka suggested that Stuivenberg could be somebody to bring attractive, attacking football back to Ajax.
Gouka highlighted that Stuivenberg’s time alongside Mikel Arteta could make him very appealing to Ajax.
It’s also highlighted that Louis van Gaal – who is currently advising Ajax – worked with Stuivenberg at Manchester United and a reunion could be ideal for the Amsterdam giants.
“You need a trainer who knows how to create patterns for attacking football,” said Gouka. “I don’t know whether he would do it, but Albert Stuivenberg, who sits very close to Arteta at Arsenal, would be someone who would teach football Ajax can bring in. But I have no idea whether he would want that.”
“Stuivenberg was also with Van Gaal, at Manchester United. I don’t know if it was 100 percent satisfactory on both sides, so I don’t want to suggest that they clashed, but he was no longer affiliated with Van Gaal after that. But Van Gaal knows what kind of meat he has in store. In terms of profile, I think that would be a good one for Ajax,” he added.
The meat comment may sound odd, but it links back to a Dutch saying regarding knowledge of what somebody is like in the flesh, as Van Gaal does with Stuivenberg.
My view: Losing Stuivenberg would be a blow for Mikel Arteta
Stuivenberg serves as Arteta’s assistant at Arsenal and immediately joined the Spaniard upon his arrival in North London back in 2019.
The Dutchman has managed teams before, notably the Netherlands Under-21’s and even Genk, losing just 10 times in 48 games there.
Stuivenberg is now a key part of the Arsenal operation and Arteta hailed him in 2021, suggesting that they see the game the same way and they have a ‘good connection’ together.
Leandro Trossard played under Stuivenberg at Genk and The Athletic noted that he provided character information on Trossard when Arsenal moved to sign him.
It’s clear that Stuivenberg is vital under Arteta and any move to Ajax would be a bitter pill for the Gunners to swallow.
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