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By Ebenezer Bajela.
Ajax Amsterdam manager Alfred Schreuder believes Calvin Bassey’s strong mentality will see him overcome the current criticisms thrown at him and grow to become a great player in the mode of Tottenham Hotspur’s Davinson Sanchez.
Following his record €23m move from Glasgow Rangers in July, Bassey has not had it easy in the Netherlands.
The Super Eagles defender was one of the most highly-rated stars in the Europa League last term after helping the Scottish giants reach the final of the competition for the first time in decades.
His impressive performance last season saw him emerged as one of the most coveted players in Europe before opting to join Ajax.
However, the Nigeria international has often been the target by some of the club legends following the Jews’ poor start to the 2022/23 season.
Ajax face a tough task of defending their Eredivisie title as they currently occupy the fifth position, with the Dutch champions crashing out of the UEFA Champions League.
Former Real Madrid star, Wesley Snijder, Fex- Ajax duo Marciano Vink and Marco van Basten are some of the few to have questioned the defender’s ability.
Meanwhile, Schreuder continues to back the Nigerian has shown staunch support for Bassey, preferring the 23-year-old to other options at centre-back and left-back in different instances.
What has Schreuder said?
Schreuder admits that the Bassey criticisms have not been way off the mark. But the head coach insists Bassey possesses two qualities – his mentality and hard work – that show he can become as dependable as Colombian defender Davinson Sanchez, who left Ajax for Tottenham Hotspur after scoring seven goals in 44 matches.
“I understand the criticism,” Schreuder told the Telegraaf.
“But because of his mentality and the way he deals with it, we are 100 percent convinced that he will soon be a very good player for us. He may not become Frank de Boer. But a Davinson Sanchez, someone with power who can play in a big league.”
Bassey has made 14 league appearances for Ajax, scoring one and assisting two. The Leicester City academy product will look to make his impact felt when Ajax make the trip to face Feyenoord on Sunday, January 22.