Yesterday, Ajax Amsterdam canceled the contract with Daley Blind, now at least the 32-year-old is giving the first hints about the background. In an open letter, the defender explains: “This is not how I imagined my end at Ajax, but due to circumstances it happened.” To the Ajax fans he got “a special relationship. […] Sometimes I felt like I was playing against some of you, and sometimes I felt like I was being criticized just a little faster than some players.”so blind on.
However, the apparently tense relationship between him and the supporters was not the decisive point, as the Dutchman confirms: “No, that’s definitely not the reason I left. I am grateful to you too.” The troubled relationship with coach Alfred Schreuder is more likely to have played a role. The Algemeen Dagblad even diagnoses one “Betrayal of Trust”. Almost a month before the start of the World Cup, Blind’s time on the pitch was reduced significantly. He was demoted from a top performer to a substitute.
Was there a clause for the early separation?
The Dutch newspaper ‘De Telegraaf’ provides an interesting detail. With 24 competitive games, the contract of the Ajax home-grown player would have been automatically extended by one year to 2024, with the same conditions. Blind is reported to have earned €4.5m annually, making him one of the Eredivisie club’s top earners. He has already played 19 games this season. Five more players and Ajax should have rewarded the veteran handsomely for another year.
Born in Amsterdam, he made 333 appearances for his hometown club and won seven league titles. It is still unclear how Blind will continue. With Royal Antwerp, Real Sociedad and teams from the MLS, there are already the first interested parties.
