WINSTON BOGARDE has still not gotten over being ditched by Ajax last year.
The former Chelsea defender was let go by the Eredivisie giants following Erik ten Hag’s departure for Manchester United.
Bogarde, 52, had assisted Ten Hag for two years in Amsterdam.
He wanted to stay on under a new manager, but was dismissed following the appointment of Alfred Schreuder.
Man United legend Edwin van der Sar works as Ajax’s CEO.
And Bogarde, who won the Champions League alongside Van der Sar in 1995, appears to hold a grudge against his former team-mate.
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Speaking to Ziggo Sport, he said: “I gave everything for the club and they threw me away.
“Of course I would like to return, Ajax is a great club, but as long as Van der Sar is here, don’t call me.”
Schreuder, 50, was sacked in January following a string of poor results.
Ajax, now under the management of John Heitinga, are third in the Eredivisie – with Feyenoord set to win their first title since 2017 under rumoured Tottenham target Arne Slot.
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On what’s gone wrong for his old club, Bogarde added: “The DNA of Ajax is diluted more and more in the club.
“In the first team I miss certain things that the players can turn to when things go wrong.”
Bogarde played just 12 times in four years at Chelsea between 2000 and 2004.
He featured just once after Boxing Day 2000, with the Blues unable to sell him after handing him a lucrative deal.
The ex-Ajax and Barcelona ace finally left upon the conclusion of his contract in 2004 before announcing his retirement from the game the following year.
Bogarde returned to Ajax as a coach in 2017, initially working with their academy side.
He was then promoted to Ten Hag’s staff in 2020.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
