CAPE TOWN - Ajax Cape Town coach Stanley Menzo has settled in nicely since assuming control of the team last year. His arrival galvanised the squad, restored confidence, and the Urban Warriors won five of their last six games before the PSL went into recess.
The second half of the season gets under way next week, with Ajax in Johannesburg to take on high-riding, second-placed Wits. Under Menzo, the team’s discipline, both on and off the field, has vastly improved, the players are more assured in possession and there is a growing sense of belief permeating the squad.
While that is all good and well, it’s important to remember that football is a game of consistency. A team cannot bank on its past performances; everything is geared around the next game at hand. And that is why the challenge now for Menzo - and the Ajax squad - is to continue where they left off last year.
Having been exposed to the PSL, Menzo has had time to formulate a long-term game-plan. There’s always much debate around the “Ajax Way” - but, while the former Ajax Amsterdam and Netherlands goalkeeper believes in the approach, he is also realistic enough to know that he has to adapt to the situation and the environment in which he finds himself.
“A team has to have its own style, its own face,” said Menzo. “But, at the same time, you have to respect the quality of the opponents and take that into consideration when preparing the team. In the PSL, teams have different qualities for example, Wits are not easy to play against, they are good at picking up the second ball and they have strikers who are very good with their head.
"Then there are other teams in the PSL that allow you to play, but make things narrow and tight. As a coach, you must know all these qualities, you cannot just go out and expect your team to play one way. We will always continue to try to play our football, but we will also respect what the other teams can do.”
Looking ahead to Tuesday’s much-anticipated clash against the title-challengers, Menzo was quick to emphasise his respect for the Clever Boys, though he was adamant that he would stick to his one-point philosophy.
“My belief is always that before a game takes place, each team already has one point,” said the Ajax coach. “As such, a team has to make sure it holds on to that point. We are away from home and that is a good point to get It is the mindset we will approach the game with.
“It will be a tough game. Wits are a good team with very good players. But we have trained and prepared well during the break. There are two ways we can do this: we can either go there and be afraid, or we can go there and say ‘Let’s play’. All the players are fit and we will be ready for them.”
With Menzo having acclimatised to the job, he has also had time to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Ajax squad. While he admits there are still areas of concern, they aren’t “big concerns”, just things that “have to be worked on”.
“Look, you are always going to lose games, that’s the nature of sport,” he said. “But the important thing always, is how you lose. Was the other team just better or did you allow them to be better?
“There are still a few areas we have to work on, like controlling the game more and not allowing the opposition back in. In attack, I would like to see players taking their chances when they come.”