Arsenal assistant manager Albert Stuivenberg could be an option for Ajax, but only if he was surrounded by people who know the club well.
That’s according to journalist Mikos Gouka, who believes Stuivenberg might have reservations about taking the role at the Amsterdam ArenA.
Ajax are currently on the hunt for their next manager after sacking Maurice Steijn this week following a disastrous start to the season that’s left them in the bottom three.
The hunt is now on for his replacement, but the options appear to be thin on the ground given the situation the club currently finds itself in.
Stuivenberg was named as someone who could be in the picture this week thanks to his links to Louis van Gaal, who is currently working in a consultant role at Ajax and knows Stuivenberg after they worked together at Manchester United.
He’s currently at Arsenal and working as Mikel Arteta’s assistant manager and their current success would make him hesitant to leave the Emirates at this moment in time.
That’s an opinion shared by Gouka, although he does think that there is a window of opportunity if the backroom team was set up right.
“I think of Albert Stuivenberg, although I don’t know if he would do it. He is also more of a Feyenoord boy than an Ajax boy,” he said.
“He sits very close to Mikel Arteta at Arsenal. But maybe he says: I’m in a good position at Arsenal, I earn this and that and if all goes well, we’ll conquer the Premier League.
“Why should I go to Ajax? I’m also a Rotterdammer by nature. Maybe that plays a role. You hear that name very rarely, while if you think of a Dutchman who can bring attacking football, then it might be possible.
“If you put a good staff around him with a large, prominent Ajax face in it, then I think it’s possible. The question is: are you looking forward to it as a trainer in an already lost season?”
