World history. And how could it not be that Ajax ended up at the bottom of the Eredivisie in their first game in November. It was only 42 days ago when “Ayanda” welcomed Volendam to the “Arena” and after 8 games they were at the bottom of the table with just 5 points.

Two games were thanks to Vitesse, who limited the exit from the danger zone, but the use of the words “end”, “danger zone” alone illustrates the situation in which the four-time European champions found themselves at that point.

And to be precise, not worse. This was preceded by a scandal and the subsequent dismissal of the German coach Sven Mislindad, followed shortly afterwards by the coach Maurice Steyn, who was responsible for the downfall of Ajax Amsterdam, as well as a series of coaching departures.

“Mountain”. The emblematic president of one of Ajax’s ‘golden’ eras, Michael van Praach, was recruited, followed by the return of Louis van Gaal as an advisor. But they also needed something similar, something that was… also reminiscent of Ajax on the bench. There was no one more suitable at the moment than the so-called Mister Ajax, John Van’t Schip.

The former national team selector accepted the job on the condition that he had his long-time partner, his right-hand man, Michalis Balkanis, who was then managing Hapoel Tel Aviv, at his side. A solution was found to release the Greek technician and so the duo met again in Amsterdam.

A few days of training only counted when Ajax hosted Volendam in the first game in November. In this briefly outlined situation. In a regime of free fall, a multi-stage crisis.

Good morning, the first first eleven, the first first choice, “smelled” like Ajax, that is, what everything in the club’s everyday life had been “screaming about” since the summer, what it was missing. In one of the positions that had suffered greatly in the competition until then, that of left-back, Van’t Schip and Balkanis turned to the eternal treasure of “Aianda”, its academies, and immediately appointed the 20-year-old Argiani Marta as starter , which gave him the first appearance of his career in the first team.

So simple, so clean, so respectful of the club’s DNA and its traditional way of working. So symbolic of what was to come and the approach that would be taken to attempt recovery.

Ajax prevailed 2-0, securing their first victory in the Dutch league since the premiere on August 12th and their first overall victory in all competitions since August 24th. Marta was the leader of the game.

Ajax football

From then until tonight Ajax and AEK (December 14th, 10 p.m., COSMOTE SPORT 6 HD, LIVE Sportish) Competing against each other for the second time in the final of the group stage of the Europa League and demanding their European Cup continuation in Amsterdam, a lot has changed in the Dutch team. All the more so in view of the two’s first date, at the beginning of October in the OPAP Arena.

In seven consecutive Eredivisie games, Ajax conceded only one draw (including the nine remaining minutes of the game against Vaalwijk, which was interrupted due to the collapse of goalkeeper Etienne Vessen with “Ayanda” and then, as it remained until the end, conceded with three draws -2) and reached 5th place at the end.

A position that Van’t Schip had publicly defined as his first, tangible goal from the start, after moving to the bench, until the Christmas break. And at the same time a basis for the next one, namely the claim to a place in the trio (Ajax is -9 from the tied AZ and Twente) and the claim to a trophy.

Spectacular changes, no, there were none. Simple, small, everyday things that all click together and are all based solely on a return to Ajax’s footballing roots, on the principles that define the club’s identity.

First of all, the return to attacking football, to tempo, to pressing, with the easy-to-read competitive characteristics that make up the clear competitive philosophy of “Aianda”. Either against inferior opponents within the boundaries, or at the Velodrome against Marseille, without changing his approach even when playing at a numerical disadvantage for half an hour, or in Amsterdam against Brighton.

Regardless of the results, Ajax creates more, scores more easily, brings more footballers into the attacking part of the game and releases arguably better quality footballers tasked with this part of creation and execution.

And so, on the one hand, it accommodates the increasingly demanding platform of the “Arena”, which wants to see (and is taught) exactly this style of football that is changing the climate in public opinion, but on the other hand it also covers its precarious inhibiting function. Logic is (can) never be “half zero”. On the contrary, it’s now about scoring at least one more goal in attack.

Meaning, attention and role for everyone

The second concern after switching banks had to do with psychology. “Quality is there. “In Ajax we are” is one of Van’t Schip’s most meaningful public statements, which – when he took office – had a double addressee. Both the fans, disappointed by what they saw, and the dressing room, unable to raise their heads and stop the feedback of negative criticism and the chain of bad results.

Thanks to the catalytic contribution of the Balkan countries, the Dutch coach also adopted at this level the practice that the Greek national players know well from their time in the national team. Every day, continuously, continuously, for a few minutes, little by little with all the footballers in the squad. All. Basics, backup players, previously unscheduled players, newcomers to the rotation, everyone.

It was necessary for the twelve summer signings – an unimaginable number for Ajax’s data – to change the squad and (ultimately for the functioning of the team) come together as much as possible, first in the climate and then, sensibly and efficiently, in the game by “Aianda”.

The example and transformation of Tshumba Akpom, who had not scored a goal until the game against Volendam and flirted with the limits of public opinion’s ridicule, is characteristic, as the former PAOK striker has since then been considered not as a main player but as a valuable addition Hit 6 times.

And it’s not just the England striker who has been upgraded – compared to the disastrous initial start – but appears to have found a role (usually a starting XI), Croatia stopper Josip Sutalo, German goalkeeper Diad Ramai and Bosnian midfielder Benjamin Tahirovic, all summer transferable purchases.

Another catalyst that is absolutely inherent in Ajax’s football genes was the confidence of the technical staff in the football mechanics of “Aianda”. For Ajax to return to “Ajax football”,…Ajax would have to be in the lineup, on the bench, in the dressing room.

So the jump into the kindergarten departments was made – without reservations – without any concerns or thoughts about what was written on the identity cards and birth certificates.

In addition to Marta, 19-year-old Icelandic midfielder Kristian Hlinsson and 21-year-old Danish right-back Anton Gaye have also found a dominant role in this month and a half, meaning that starter Devine Rens is now more often taken to heart in the defense in which he (at least (at his natural position) was permanently established, Ajax’s new prodigy, 17-year-old Yorel Hato, will wear the armband tonight as the more experienced Bergwein and Berghaus were ruled out. How much more “Ajax”?

Another case in point: With the exception of the last two Dutch internationals and Akpom, the remaining eight players who were in the starting lineup for Vitesse’s Dutch Championship hosts and the four who came off the bench would be sorted by age – the right to Participation in the second “Aianta” team.

Problems, it is understood that they exist and will remain, are obvious (the precarious suspension function mentioned above, the “hole” at “6” and at the left end of the midfield triple), but since then the season had become an everyday reality sees It looks like many will be almost sedated next, now the chip seems to have gradually changed, and based on the logic of limiting the extent of the damage, in Amsterdam they are openly discussing benefits that may come to the end of the race could be possible this year.

The return to the roots, to the basics of the Ajax school is already the first.