by Machiavel Sun May 27, 2007 10:42 pm
“We are left empty-handed after a great season” - Louis van Gaal
"The group has done a fantastic job (this season).” - Henk Ten Cate
Louis van Gaal admitted at the press conference that AZ enjoyed a great season, but added that feelings of disappointment prevailed after AZ were left empty-handed, following Sunday afternoon’s 3-0 defeat against Ajax at the Amsterdam Arena in Sunday afternoon in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League qualifying play-off.
“We controlled proceedings, until Ajax evaded our offside trap and the game was turned upside down in the space of a few minutes.”
At the post-match press conference Van Gaal explained that there are decisive moments at and around a sporting event. “And we failed to pay attention at those particular moments. If you want to win top games in Holland, you must outwit your opponents to avoid slipping to defeat after all.”
Van Gaal did not mind AZ’s congested fixture list of 56 official games in the 2006-2007 season, five of them against Ajax. “We will benefit from the experience and learn a lot from our mistakes. I don’t mind meeting Ajax five times in one season. You learn from competing in top-level games. But I think the play-offs should be organised differently in order to ensure a fairer and more honest course”, referring to a ‘best-of-three’ competition, as he had pointed out before.
Gaal was struggling with ‘feelings of disappointment’. “For at the end of the day we are left empty-handed after a season with great performances.”
"We never met expectations in the first half”, said Ajax coach Henk ten Cate. ”But after the break we put in a convincing display, frequently winning the ball in midfield. Eventually we have met this season’s objectives and feelings of contentment prevail after a tough year.”
"We have won the Cup, played for the title until the final second and we qualified for the preliminary round of the Champions League”, "We are very happy now.”
"We were very strong. We won almost all the challenges in midfield. And up front, Huntelaar was particularly fantastic.”
"I have to give my team a big compliment”, Ten Cate said about the season. "It was not always easy this first year, but the group has done a fantastic job.”