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Ajax coach Menzo has relegation and keeping his job on his mind

Under-pressure Ajax Cape Town coach Stanley Menzo has expressed a desire to remain at the club next season.

Menzo‚ who took over from Roger De Sa six months ago‚ said he would like to start on a clean slate with pre-season because he believes in the project and the players they have in the squad.

“The most important thing for now is to save the club from relegation and when everything is okay we can start talking about next season‚" he said.

"Of course‚ I would like to start a season on a clean slate next season because I enjoy working here. I came in during a difficult situation‚ to a culture and place I was not familiar with and it has not been easy.

"The moment we survive this situation of relegation‚ we can start to talk about next season to see if the future will be with or without me and hopefully it will be with me‚” he said after Ajax lost 2-0 to Sundowns on Tuesday night.

The Urban Warriors go into their last five matches of the season sitting at tenth place on the log with 26 points. The former Ajax Amsterdam and Holland goalkeeper said they need at least six points to survive.

“We have 26 points now and if we get two wins I think we will be safe but it also depends on the results of other teams that are in a similar situation like us. In our last five matches‚ it will all be about survival and I know what it means because I have survived relegation twice in the past‚” he said.

“We are five points above the relegation zone and after every game things can change. It is not easy to get the points from Sundowns who have quality in their squad and we have to get points elsewhere‚” he said.

Menzo also confirmed that the club only will release highly rated Amajita midfielder Grant Margeman to the national under-20 for the 2017 World Cup in Korea next month if they are safe from relegation.

Amajita leaves for an eight day training camp in Holland on Wednesday night without Margeman where Thabo Senong charges are scheduled to play friendly matches against Ajax Amsterdam‚ PEC Zwolle and Feyenoord.

“The moment we are safe from relegation‚ he can go to the national team because it will be good for him‚ for the club‚ and the country. But we have to think about ourselves first which comes first at the moment.”

 - TMG Digital/TMG Sport

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