Last-minute defeat at the bottom: Ajax crash causes Van der Vaart to swear on TV

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Ajax Amsterdam has suffered an unprecedented fall in a short time. Still champions in 2022 under successful coach Erik ten Hag (53), the Dutch record champions are stuck in the relegation swamp this year.

Last weekend, after taking the lead, Ajax lost 3-4 to FC Utrecht, which was at the bottom of the rankings until this match. It is the fourth bankruptcy in a row – and has resulted in Ajax dropping to 17th and penultimate place. This means that the largest club in the Netherlands is in a direct relegation zone. A defeat that led to the retirement of coach Maurice Steijn after only four months in office.

Van der Vaart with scathing criticism

This sporting decline evokes strong reactions. For example, the fans who recently provoked the game in the classic against Feyenoord to be stopped after an early 3-0 deficit. Or from experts. This is the case with former Dutch star Rafael van der Vaart (40), who started his career in Amsterdam and played more than 150 matches there.

After the embarrassment against Utrecht, he spared no criticism. And he mercilessly attacks his parent club at the NOS. “What I see is a worthless team with worthless players!” he rages. ‘You can’t play like Ajax anymore. You have to assume that they are no longer better than their opponents because they simply no longer have the quality. Even the good players are dragged to this level.”

Ajax must now face the reality of the sporting struggle for survival and learn to think like a relegated team. “It is very sad, but it is true,” Van der Vaart adds. (sbe)

Source : Blick