Here's the full Colin story. "I'm thick and lazy" by Jurgen Colin

Colin: Caretaker management at Ajax a mess

Amsterdam - Ajax defender Jurgen Colin exclusively tells his story to De Telegraaf today. About his handicapped son and his bizarre year with the Amsterdammers. "Ajax is a fantastic club, but only when the going is good. The caretaker management is a mess."

Colin gew up in Utrecht. "I'm someone from the street. I never finished school, and was kept back a year twice. I don't know any long words. Coaches have to keep it simple and just tell me what I should do. No long stories, no complicated words. Otherwise I fall asleep. I also don't like people who beat around the bush. You don't need to use soft, friendly language with me when you don't really mean it."

He was amazed when the option in his contract for an extra two years was taken up by Ajax. Marco van Basten had given his blessing. Colin heard it from his agent.

"Technical director Martin van Geel ate with the group almost every day. Why not just tell me then ? Koster didn't even congratulate me. He asked me if I'd thought about it properly... My relationship with him is strictly professional. If Edgar Davids or Kenneth Perez say something, I will think it over. If the manager says something, I think "Yeah, right."

"Ajax is a fantastic club, but only when the going is good. Internally it is a mess. Many of the players have come to me and told me that they think it is stupid t have me sitting on the bench. The arrival of Samuel Kuffour was also a vote of no-confidence. Since then I don't take things to heart. I just train to keep fit, and wait for Van Basten."

"He is an honest manager. I've heard that from the inernationals. If you're on the bench, you know what you have to work on. But what is happening here just doesn't make sense. In Dubai I received compliments. Against NEC I performed well as a substitute and a week later against Utrecht I played my best game for the club. I thought "Now it's going to happen". Normally you are rewarded for good performances. I was cast aside. You destroy somebody like that. An honest manager would wait until I made a mistake and then replace me. Perhaps that will be different under Van Basten, and that the door will remain open. If a manager has confidence in me, then everything will go fine. I'm sure of that."

Posted By: Steve in Holland, Apr 29, 14:21:36