Last summer, Bruil took a leap into the deep end and is standing on her own two feet for the first time at a professional football organisation. "Around Christmas, I paused to reflect on how special it is to work in this role at Ajax Women."
In a conversation in Bruil’s office in the new building for Ajax’s men’s and women’s teams at De Toekomst, three main questions take centre stage. And each main question has its own story and its own side roads. On the eve of the second half of the season, Bruil looks energetic. Ready for the sprint towards May. Ready perhaps for a major prize.
What were your expectations when you started with the Ajax Women in the summer?
Bruil’s arrival in the summer was a bold move for both Ajax and the main character herself. After the split between experienced Hesterine de Reus and Ajax, the club deliberately chose a coach from its own ranks. After four years at De Toekomst, the club considered the coach of the Ajax Talent Team ready for the head coach role.
"Ajax stands for giving young, ambitious and talented people opportunities, and that is how we see Anouk as well," technical director Alex Kroes was quoted as saying in the press release announcing Bruil’s appointment. For her part, the 31-year-old coach sees the head coach role as the ideal step in her career.
A major challenge
Even so, the Achterhoek-born coach was immediately presented with a major challenge. Several Ajax players earned major transfers. Lotte Keukelaar left for Real Madrid, Isa Kardinaal went to London City Lionesses, Lily Yohannes signed for Olympique Lyon and Rosa van Gool became an Everton player, and so on. "I started the season with a completely new team. Twelve new girls came in. Some from the academy and a few from outside. I knew I would be dealing with a young team. I simply thought: this is a leap into the deep end, and full throttle."
The coach is not worried about having to build a new team. That mainly stems from her experience in youth football, first at sc Heerenveen and in recent years at Ajax.
"I knew that I was able to build a young team. I am someone who is focused on the process and not on the results of the first two or three matches."
"At Ajax, we strongly believe that our talent is the future. I have seen so many girls move from the Ajax U19 to the first team and ultimately to the top of Europe. That is simply what Ajax stands for. I also just enjoy seeing how quickly we have grown. If you have an experienced team, that growth is less visible."
In the spotlight
Without perhaps realising it, Bruil immediately talks about her team and puts herself in second place. The energy the coach radiates is infectious. Verbally, she makes a strong impression and seems mentally completely at home in the spotlight as the head coach.
"From the beginning, I have been full of energy. But very quickly it started to feel completely normal. Even though being head coach of the Ajax Women is a very unique position. Around Christmas, I paused to reflect on how special it is to work in this role at Ajax Women. But I have been in the organisation for a long time and I have worked towards becoming head coach for a long time. Once you are there, you have to keep going straight away, and you have to hit the ground running."
"I already knew the club very well. That helps. I know how all the paths run at Ajax. If you come in from outside, that is different. The pressure of matches is also different: fighting for the title, qualifying for Europe. But I thrive on that. I love that pressure. When I was training with Ajax U19 on pitch ten, I thought: this is great, but I want the highest possible level, I want to be at the ArenA. This is what I want."
Being 'in the spotlight' suits Bruil. It sharpens her and allows her to perform. There is no room for running on autopilot at the Ajax Women, and that is exactly what Bruil, who still lives in Heerenveen, likes.
"When I look at the process, I am proud of where we are now. With a young team, you experience ups and downs. But in terms of results, it could have been better. I am not satisfied with that. We are out of Europe, we are out of the cup. That is disappointing. However, I do have to say that Hammarby IF were really very good. If you look at the transfer window now, you see a lot of players from Hammarby moving to the European top. The cup match against AZ was mainly very unlucky. But I think we have laid a good foundation to eventually become champions."
How do you see the current position of the Ajax Women?
So the bar is being raised for Bruil’s team. Results have to be matched by what is shown on the pitch. And that is happening a little more every day. Bruil sees the patterns in the team that she and her technical staff have been working on over the past six months.
"We press higher, we have more dynamism on the flanks, and we play with a stepping-in central defender. That says something about the growth. The next step is that we start applying different systems within a match, and that players start to recognise them themselves."
Individually, players have also developed significantly. Young Ajax players such as Renee van Asten, Ilayah Dostmohammed, Lina Touzani and Xanne Kip have made their debuts. "I think it is very impressive how eighteen- and nineteen-year-olds coming from Jong Ajax adapt. They go through a huge change in every respect. These girls are knocking on the door to start."
Although the results in Europe and the Dutch Cup may be disappointing, things are going very well in the league. The Ajax Women are top with 25 points from ten matches. FC Twente follow with 23 points from nine games. On Saturday, the two teams play each other. An important match, not only in terms of the result, but also to be able to deliver a mental blow.
"We have to beat the top teams. This team is capable of beating FC Twente, PSV and Feyenoord. We have already shown that against PSV and Feyenoord. Now against Twente as well."
Where do you want the Ajax Women to be in six months’ time?
A broad grin appears on Bruil’s face. She lifts her arms above her head and acts out holding a trophy. "Yes, let me be completely honest about that. We want to become champions. I hear that from the players as well. That is what Ajax stands for, of course. I am really only satisfied if we become champions, preferably in the away match at sc Heerenveen, the club where I myself started. If the title really does not work out, then we at least want to finish second. We want to play in the UEFA Women’s Champions League."
UEFA Pro course
All of this will have to happen during a period when Bruil herself will also take a step in her career. The head coach of the Ajax Women will start the UEFA Pro course alongside her job in Amsterdam. A very full schedule, but that suits Bruil too, who does not see it as a problem but as a fine challenge.
"If you have a certain ambition, then I think everything is achievable. Over the past ten years, I have had one goal: to become a head coach at a top club. I have had to give up a lot, also in friendships. I see it the same way now: a year of going full throttle. My private life may get a little less time. I hope to be able to do an internship with the men’s side of Ajax, so that it is a bit easier to organise."
From the moment she came to Ajax via sc Heerenveen to the winter break of the 2025/2026 season, it has been a long, fascinating ride for Bruil, a journey she is still in the middle of.
"I once started in a small white building: the Bijlmer building. My office was a changing room, without windows. Even then, I wanted to go to Ajax. The level of women's football was extremely high, but at that time, the facilities were not yet top-notch."
"Then we moved to a ‘women’s building’ together with the youth teams. We were already very happy with that, but then this building came: ‘De Nieuwe Toekomst’. You will hardly get this anywhere in Europe. Chelsea does not have this either. If you look at the steps we have made when it comes to facilities, but also in the growth of the staff and the team, it is extremely different from five years ago. I am very happy to be part of that."
