Ajax Appoints Óscar García as Jong Ajax Coach Amid Mixed Reviews

omidbasir- On Tuesday, Ajax made headlines by appointing Óscar García as the new coach for Jong Ajax. The Spanish coach has an extensive background, having served as head coach in various countries, with his most recent position at Chivas Guadalajara in Mexico. However, this tenure was reportedly unsuccessful, according to several Mexican sources.

García is well-acquainted with Jordi Cruijff, having played alongside him at FC Barcelona. Later, Cruijff brought his former teammate in as head coach at Maccabi Tel Aviv, where they celebrated a championship together. García also achieved two league titles with Red Bull Salzburg before taking on shorter roles at clubs such as Saint-Étienne, Olympiakos, Celta de Vigo, Stade Reims, and OH Leuven.

Despite his credentials, García struggled to win over Chivas supporters. Diello Martinez, a reporter for the fan site Staff Rojiblanco, noted that public sentiment was largely negative. “The team lacked intensity and played too slowly. While we held possession for extended periods, we failed to create significant offensive threats. Our scoring was insufficient, and when Chivas fell behind, there was little response. García faced considerable criticism for his substitutions, often making changes too late when the match was already lost, leading to frustration among fans.”

At Chivas, García utilized several young players, including striker Hugo Camberos and left-back Mateo Chávez, who now plays for AZ. However, his brief tenure of twelve matches makes it difficult to assess talent development, which is among his responsibilities at Jong Ajax. “At Chivas, immediate results are expected, but García fell short of that expectation in four months,” concluded club observer Rojas. “Ultimately, he departed mid-season, just before the Clásico against Club América, when the club needed him the most.”