Former Ajax interim coach Óscar García maintains that he would have delivered a hundred-percent better campaign with the club’s current squad than his predecessors managed last season, pointing to a lack of institutional direction during his brief tenure in Amsterdam. In an interview published by Voetbalzone, the Spanish manager reflected on his short time at the Eredivisie club and his subsequent career path.

Stepping In During Turmoil

García took charge of Ajax in March of last year, succeeding Fred Grim after technical director Jordi Cruijff intervened to stabilize the club. The primary directive given to the Spanish coach was straightforward: secure European qualification for the Amsterdam side. Looking back at that period, García asserted that he extracted the maximum potential from the playing group available to him at the time.

“When I was appointed, people at the club were very afraid of not even making European football,” García told NU.nl, as reported by Voetbalzone. “In the end, we may not have done it perfectly, but we did it well.”

During his stint overseeing the first team in domestic competition, García’s side struggled for consistency, winning just three of eight league fixtures while drawing five and losing two, according to FootballTransfers.com. Before taking over the senior squad, García had briefly managed Jong Ajax, overseeing five matches with two wins and a draw following the dismissal of Willem Weijs.

Contrasting Standards and Continuity

Reflecting on the structural challenges at Johan Cruijff ArenA, García argued that sustained success requires more than temporary fixes. He noted that competing in the UEFA Champions League demands a squad capable of consistent performances backed by clear institutional continuity.

“If as a club your goal is to play in the Champions League, you must have the squad for it and a team that can perform consistently,” García said. “That requires quality, but also continuity and a clear direction within the club.”

Departure and Subsequent Success

Despite his desire to remain in Amsterdam and work with the newly reinforced squad, García received confirmation of his dismissal two days after the final match of the season. With Cruijff opting to appoint compatriot Míchel Sánchez as the permanent head coach, García admitted the exit brought considerable disappointment.

“If you hear nothing in the final weeks of the competition, they choose someone else. That’s how it works in football,” García stated, noting that he sensed his departure approaching. Nevertheless, he expressed no regret regarding his decision to answer Ajax’s call during a turbulent phase, describing the club as magnificent.

García has since taken over as head coach of Polish Ekstraklasa side Pogoń Szczecin.

Looking Ahead to the Eredivisie Title Race

Despite watching the Amsterdam side from his post in Poland, García remains certain that the current squad under Sánchez will claim domestic supremacy this season. He believes his own tactical framework would have yielded dramatically different results if paired with the current roster depth.

“I said at the time: ‘With me or with another coach, Ajax will become champions next season,'” García recalled. “They may not be showing it yet, but they will be champions this season. I would have done a hundred percent better with this squad than last season.”