Erik ten Hag

Rewind to December 2021 and all was well in Amsterdam. The club, still with several of the players who reached the 2019 Champions League semifinal, had enjoyed ...

[Daley Blind](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/126489/Daley-Blind), a son of Ajax and the club's vice captain. [stream a replay on ESPN+ in the U.S.](https://www.espn.com/espnplus/player/_/eventCalendarId/401446449#bucketId=2),) the song "Oh Johnny" played in the stadium. [Calvin Bassey](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/263110/Calvin-Bassey) from [Rangers](/soccer/team?id=257) and the deadline-day recruitment of [Germany](/soccer/team?id=481) international [Florian Grillitsch](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/219304/Florian-Grillitsch). [Mohammed Kudus](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/266599/Mohammed-Kudus) ahead of [Brian Brobbey](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/282229/Brian-Brobbey) was also criticised: "I decide here at Ajax who plays and who doesn't play. He then moved to a news conference in which he was questioned on the decision to sack Schreuder, his own position at the club, the thinly veiled disgruntlement levelled in his direction about the number of players who'd departed, the vacant technical director spot and the lack of a footballing voice on the club's supervisory board. According to Blind, the defender and Schreuder fell out after a half-time argument in Ajax's 4-1 win over [RKC Waalwijk](/soccer/team/_/id/155/rkc-waalwijk). Speaking of Schreuder, Van der Sar said: "The team needs to gel now, a coach needs peace, time and energy to do that." But just two days later, Ocampos joined Ajax on loan as the club looked for a last-minute replacement for [Antony](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/315294/Antony), who went to Man United and reunited with Ten Hag. He has been head coach at [FC Twente](/soccer/team?id=152) and Bundesliga club Hoffenheim and led [Club Brugge](/soccer/team?id=570) to the 2021-22 Belgium First Division title in a five-month spell. [Lucas Ocampos](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/159263/Lucas-Ocampos) on Aug. [Ajax](/soccer/team/_/id/139/ajax-amsterdam), once the envy of Europe for their solid club structure, have deteriorated in just 12 months. on ESPN+ (U.S.)](https://www.espn.com/espnplus/player/_/eventCalendarId/401446452#bucketId=1)