After a brief spell of mediocrity Calvin Bassey has returned to form with Ajax.
The £12m former Ibrox defender has had a nightmare start to his career in Holland with coach Alfred Schreuder sacked in January with Ajax lurking in fifth place in the Eredivisie.
Caretaker John Heitinga has been given the task of trying to protect Ajax’s summer flop but yesterday’s clash with Feyenoord ended in a 3-2 home defeat, providing another reminder of how Ajax were duped in the summer.
Even the Daily Record were forced to comment on last season Balon d’Or contender, tuning in to some post match analysis they report with ESPN analyst Karim El Almadi saying:
It is clear that Feyenoord as a team is much better than Ajax. But also individually: if I compare Hancko on the ball with Bassey, that’s a world of difference. That’s where it starts. In the first half, I saw Bassey build up, but that was really unworthy of Ajax. I haven’t seen Ajax fumble like that for a long time.”
But while many pundits in the Netherlands have lost all patience with Bassey, he stopped short of a complete write-off – even if his legs went to ‘mush’.
It could be that there was too much tension on it. When you get mush legs, a lot goes wrong. At one point he also slipped. It could be that the tension did something to him. Let’s not judge him on it. He has to stand there, absolutely. But he also had a good period, this was a bad game.
With Nathan Patterson and Joe Aribo unable to get near game time for clubs fighting relegation from the EPL Ross Wilson will have his work cut out to raise transfer funds this summer.
The No 17 would get send off for that one in Scotland and a penalty awarded ????
— Seán MacGobhann (@SeanMacGobhann) March 19, 2023
After so many success on the market for Ajax, Calvin Bassey isn’t one of them. He is possibly the most Anti-Ajax defender ever.
He is horrible with a ball at this feet, can’t help with build up, solid defensively and would do brilliantly at a different team, just not Ajax.— Teo ?? (@TeonelMessi) March 19, 2023
— Dennis Achterberg, Fella Forger ? (@neliz2k) March 20, 2023
Shirley not ?
Lol the daily sevco had him as in the top 3 defenders in the world last week,now this week he running about the field like Worzel Gummidge looking for aunt Sally McMoist.
That is quite a football trick, the likes of I have never seen before. Kind of Cruyff-like in a totally unappreciative way! Thank you Ajax for that! At least he’s producing something for his £23 M fee.
What did you expect for your money, from a £230 k U-19 player who only signed for senior football two years ago? They say fools and their money are easily parted. So Bassey seem to be fitting in quite well at Ajax!
As for the Eredivise this year, there’s always next season!