Oxford United owner Erick Thohir has facilitated a new collaboration between the Indonesian Football Association and the renowned Dutch club Ajax. This countrywide initiative will involve Ajax providing coaching education throughout Indonesia to nurture players according to its famous methods.
Thohir, who also leads the Indonesia FA and holds the position of Minister for Youth and Sports in the country, stated this step tackles a significant issue. "Football is the number one sport in Indonesia, but we must acknowledge that we still face challenges in our youth development system," he said.
Indonesia has become part of Ajax's global network of partner clubs, which features teams from several other nations. The connection has already led to Indonesian players joining Oxford United, as national team members Marselino Ferdinan and Ole Romeny have played for the club. Ferdinan is presently playing on loan at Fortuna Sittard in the Netherlands.
Club context and summer challenges
The news arrives while Oxford United are performing well in the league, holding a position in the upper part of the table. Their recent results include a convincing home victory over Burton Albion.
Chief Executive Menno Geelen linked the global approach to the club's fundamental character. "We want to maintain our position as one of the best talent developers in the world and share our knowledge in markets that are relevant," Geelen said. This comes after a difficult off-season period for the club's leadership, which involved changes to the board and a provisional registration ban due to a failure to meet financial regulations.
With the new partnership now in place, Oxford United's attention turns back to their league schedule. Their next match is a home fixture against Cambridge United.
Background and full detail: Bicester Advertiser
