Wednesday, 30 April 2014 - 12:07
Tottenham Hotspurs tempt Ajax's De Boer
England's football team Tottenham Hotspur is rumored to be interested in taking on Ajax coach Frank de Boer, the Telegraaf reports.
"Spurs has notified Ajax that there might be interest in the future, but has not yet announced it with my business manager Guido Albers or with me. If they come, I will listen to what they have to say" De Boer says. He maintains that the London club will have to offer a good perspective for the future and a good offer for him to consider leaving Ajax.
Director of football cases Marc Overmars says that the Spurs informally asked four weeks ago how De Boer's contract situation is and said that he is on the list with other trainers.
According to English media, the Argentinian Mauricio Pochettino of Southampton is currently the frontrunner for the position, replacing Tim Sherwood.
According to the BBC, Tottenham did not want to give any details about the possible taking on of De Boer, but did say that Tim Sherwood's progress would be reviewed at the end of the season.
The Ajax trainer calls the Spurs a "nice and interesting club". He says the same of Liverpool. "That was a club with challenges and you see that Brendan Rogers is doing fantastically now. As I see it from the outside, I think that Tottenham has that potential as well. It has been suggested that Monaco has interest, but I don't see that happening, while there is a good group there and much is possible. My feeling has to be good."
Frank de Boer is not denying the possibility that he will make his move to Tottenham if they offer. The coach who made Ajax champions four times is very humbled that his players, Davy Klaassen and Joël Veltman made a call for him to remain at Ajax, and that this will count towards an eventual decision. In the end, de Boer says, "you make a pros and cons list and then these kinds of details are very important."
If the record-holder should leave after four championships, then there is a big chance that one of his assistants will also leave. "It is an option that Hennie Spijkerman comes with. And he is not very enthusiastic, I think."
De Boer does not know how big that chance of him leaving is. "I don't know. It really has to fit perfectly and in any case there has to be a lot of perspective, because I won't give Ajax up so easily. We have an excellent core, which we can build up further with two or three purchases. We are also doing something beautiful with a good group. That is how I see it - just like Davy and Joël - as well."