Journalists who had registered for the media moment on Friday morning at training complex De Toekomst received an email on Thursday with the following message: "Due to the expected weather conditions, the press conference on Friday will take place online." After all invitees had found their way to the Teams meeting and Grim had also joined, it was time for the first press conference of 2026.
Squad fitness
"How is the fitness of Kian Fitz-Jim, Wout Weghorst and Steven Berghuis?" was the first question. "Fitz-Jim is training with the group, and that is moving in the right direction. Weghorst is making small steps forward, but he has not yet trained with the group. Berghuis was doing reasonably well before the winter break, but had a small setback. We cannot say much about that yet. In addition, Jorthy Mokio was ill this week, but he has now fully recovered," Grim said.
One of the players who also trained with the group was new signing Takehiro Tomiyasu. "He has trained with us a number of times, and that is being done in phases. He takes part in certain exercises, and we leave him out of others. He is making small steps, and every day we look at how his body responds. A good rehabilitation is needed for this type of injury, and that will still take some time."
"He makes a very professional impression on me," the coach continued. "In the small parts that he does take part in, he looks good. But it is simply a matter of seeing every day what steps he makes and how the reaction is the following day. It is a question mark when he will be able to play matches." James McConnell is no longer in Amsterdam. "By agreement between both clubs, he has returned to Liverpool. There are still some administrative procedures to be completed, and then it will be final," Grim stated.
Away to Telstar
The league resumes on Sunday afternoon from 2.30 pm with an away match against Telstar. "They are a good team with players who want to work for each other. They recorded a good win just before the winter break, which has given them confidence. We have to approach this very seriously, but that always applies, of course."
With the restart approaching, Grim was asked about the objective. "From the moment I took over, we have looked at what was most important. That is sticking to the process and improving our football. That has to deliver points, which we would like. The second half of the season is still long, so let us mainly look at it week by week."
What Grim and his players would like is to play more attacking football, he explained. "That is where we want to make progress. That is the way I prefer to play, and the group does as well. I hear and feel that. From a solid organisation, we need to apply pressure higher up the pitch, and from there play more of our own game."
Winter break
Ajax deliberately chose not to hold a training camp abroad during the winter break. "Given the planning and the short time between the winter break and the first match, we felt it was too short to travel to another location. In addition, conditions in the Netherlands have often been good in recent years, although that does not change the fact that we have now had to deal with extreme conditions."
Grim is looking ahead in expectation to the league resuming on Sunday. "We assume it will go ahead. But of course, we depend on the circumstances and the KNVB. Still, as a club, we have to assume that it will go ahead."
Transfer window
Grim also addressed his wishes for the upcoming transfer window. "They are well known. We would like to have two players for every position. We are looking at a left-back, a number six and possibly a forward. But in this period, you are dependent on which players are available."
Finally, a meeting between Grim and Jordi Cruijff was supposed to take place last week, but it did not. "That was indeed the plan, but I was ill for a while. I was not at the club on Tuesday and Wednesday, but now I am match-fit again," Grim said with a smile. "In addition, Jordi could not come because of the weather. So that meeting has not yet taken place, but it will happen soon, either by phone or in person," Grim concluded.
