Spurs vs. Ajax: Ten Hag hits back at Pochettino’s complaints
Dutch side had the weekend off before the Champions League semi-final first leg
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Ajax
- What: Uefa Champions League semi-final first leg
- When: Tuesday 30 April
- Where: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England
- Kick-off: 8pm (UK time)
- TV channel and live stream: live on BT Sport
- Match preview and team news
Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has ensured there won’t much of a touchy-feeling atmosphere on Tuesday night after making critical comments of Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino ahead of the Champions League semi-final first leg.
Last week the Spurs chief complained that Ajax had been given an unfair advantage after the Dutch FA agreed to postpone their league fixture against De Graafschap on Sunday afternoon in order to ensure they arrived fresh in London.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Spurs, in contrast, had to play West Ham on Saturday, a match they lost to undermine their morale just three days before the biggest of their season. In addition, Spurs must make do tonight without the injured Harry Kane and the suspended Son Heung-min, an absence that severely weakens their strike-power.
Life’s not fair
But Ten Hag gave short shrift to the suggestion that he should feel sorry for Spurs. “We get 10 million [euros] for playing in [Dutch first division] Eredivisie and they get many more millions for being in the Premier League,” he retorted to a question from a reporter. “Is that not unfair on us?”
The 49-year-old also intimated that Pochettino should stop whining and get on with it. “There are always differing circumstances, everybody has different circumstances,” said ten Hag. “You just have to deal with them. That’s what we do.”
Wise heads
Although much has been made of the youthfulness of this Ajax side, Ten Hag explained that it was a couple of more experienced players who have imbued the squad with an iron resolve this season.
Serbian Dusan Tadic, 30, joined from Southampton last June while 29-year-old Daley Blind has been hugely influential after his return to Holland in July from a spell with Manchester United.
“We had a good young team but a lack of experience,” said Ten Hag. “It was a deliberate policy to sign players from the Premier League, with the knowledge and experience they bring.”
Young guns
Nonetheless it’s the youngsters who have caught the eye and made the headlines throughout Ajax’s remarkable run to the Champions League semis, a stage they lasted reached in 1997.
One of the young guns is 22-year-old midfielder Donny van der Beek, who along with Frenkie De Jong has formed a formidable partnership in the centre of the park.
As a consequence, Ajax have averaged more than 58% possession and an 84% pass completion rate during their Champions League odyssey.
“It’s all going quite fast,” admitted Van der Beek, when asked about the preparations for Tuesday’s encounter. “Spurs are a great team with great players and we will have to be at the same level or better than we were against Real and Juventus in the last two rounds.”
All for one
Ten Hag paid tribute to his young squad and expressed his satisfaction with the way they have evolved in the last season or two.
“They have really matured, certainly in the last couple of years thanks to the number of matches they’ve played,” he said.
“We want to continue this curve. It’s amazing that we are in the Champions League semi-finals, nobody could have predicted at the beginning of the season that a Dutch team would end up in the Champions League semi-finals.
“I think this is really the motto of our team: we have achieved something, but we want to do more. We don’t want to rest on our laurels.”
Tottenham vs. Ajax: preview, team news and predictions
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - November 3, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - presidential pitching, wavering convictions, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Why Man United finally lost patience with ten Hag
Talking Point After another loss United sacked ten Hag in hopes of success in the Champion's League
By The Week UK Published
-
Who are the markets backing in the US election?
Talking Point Speculators are piling in on the Trump trade. A Harris victory would come as a surprise
By The Week UK Published
-
The 'Swiss model' shaking up the Champions League
In The Spotlight Uefa says the new format offers 'greater excitement' but critics say boredom is guaranteed
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The European Super League: a 90th-minute reprieve?
Why everyone's talking about A European court ruling has potentially breathed new life into the breakaway football league
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
‘Genuine visionary’: is Pep Guardiola the greatest of all time?
feature Spaniard has now won two trebles following Man City’s Champions League triumph
By The Week Staff Published
-
Champions League final: Man City vs. Inter predictions and preview
feature Can Guardiola’s team finally win the Champions League and complete a historic treble?
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Antonio Conte leaves Tottenham after ‘extraordinary’ rant at players
feature After another year without a trophy, Spurs are now searching for a new manager
By The Week Staff Published
-
Uefa Champions League 2022-2023 guide: group stage draw and key dates
feature Liverpool face Rangers while Man City’s Erling Haaland has a reunion with Dortmund
By Mike Starling Published
-
Uefa Champions League final: blame game begins for chaos in Paris
feature Liverpool call for an investigation as Uefa are accused of a ‘narrative of lies’
By Mike Starling Published
-
2022 Uefa Champions League final: Liverpool vs. Real Madrid preview, predictions and TV
feature Everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s showpiece in Paris
By Mike Starling Last updated