The group ended 2025 with a tragic low point: the death of Elisa, the 21-year-old girlfriend of Jong Ajax player Mark Verkuijl. "What happened is incredibly sad. As a group, we deeply sympathise with Mark and with Elisa’s family and friends. It has had a huge impact on both the players and the staff. Within the group, we try to be there for one another and give Mark all the support he needs. Events like this affect everyone and put everything into perspective", Weijs begins.
Bottom of the table
Judging by the league table, Jong Ajax are experiencing a disappointing season. The team are propping up the Keuken Kampioen Divisie. Weijs is unhappy with their position but also understands it is the result of certain choices. "If you look at the number of points and our place in the table, that is something we at Ajax also consider below the club’s standards. But it is important to sketch the context: how we ended up with this points total and why we are in this position. As a club, we may have been too cautious in publicly stating our ambition to finish in the left-hand side of the table. After all, development remains the primary objective."
The constant changes within the squad make it difficult for Weijs to work towards consistency. "If you look at the team photo from the start of the season, you'll see that several players have been loaned out or have moved up to Ajax’s first team. That’s great for the club, but it also shows that we’ve lost quality. In addition, we often release players for UEFA Youth League matches or for Ajax 1. That makes it difficult to develop a group process in terms of playing style and cooperation", the coach explains.
Weijs analyses his team's performances and points to several recurring issues."In general, our play between the two penalty areas looks good, but inside the opposition box and in our own box we fall short at crucial moments. We need too many chances to score, and we make too many individual mistakes or don’t defend sharply enough."
Still, Weijs believes his team deserved more points. "We have collected far too few points. There have been several matches where we came away with zero or one point when we absolutely should have taken more."
Development
Despite the poor results, Weijs sees plenty of positives, particularly in terms of players progressing to the first team. "Everyone is playing for something. When you look at how many players are training with Ajax 1, that creates opportunities. Fred Grim has also mentioned that a few times in interviews, for example about Steur. That means you are on the radar", Weijs says enthusiastically.
For Weijs, December 17, 2025, was therefore a special moment: Ajax against Excelsior Maassluis in the KNVB Cup. Watching from the bench at home, he saw sixteen-year-old Abdellah Ouazane make his debut, while talents Pharell Nash, Don-Angelo Konadu, Aaron Bouwman, Jorthy Mokio, Gerald Alders and Rayane Bounida also got minutes. The latter was particularly influential, with four assists and a goal.
"Another debutant, that’s great. You could say it was 'just' a cup tie against amateurs. But for me, the real benchmark is the difference they make", Weijs says with a smile.
Exceptional talent
Weijs enjoys working with the talent at his disposal and believes this generation includes exceptional players. "They are not one-day wonders; first and foremost, I think they are exceptional. At the same time, predicting a player's pathway is incredibly difficult. Something can always happen. Their education and development certainly haven't stopped yet. We often talk about the fact that most players need around fifty matches in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie to adapt to the difference between youth and senior football. Steur, for example, needed fewer. That’s positive for Ajax, but it means he is an exception."
"Noussair Mazraoui, for instance, needed a longer run-up. Matthijs de Ligt came through very quickly, made his debut for the Netherlands, then had a small setback, but recovered again. It’s simply not predictable. The only thing you can do is put players in the right situation to develop, support them when they are struggling, and keep them sharp when they are in danger of floating off", Weijs says passionately.
Despite the disappointing results, Weijs feels at home at Ajax. The coach, who previously worked in Ajax’s academy between 2013 and 2017, returned last season as head coach of Ajax Under-19s and is now in charge of Jong Ajax. He emphasises the importance of mentality and winning. "Poor results don’t take away my enjoyment. But even though my main task is development, I am also a winner. I think the players need to learn what it means to play for Ajax. Playing for Ajax is synonymous with winning and playing attacking football. That makes the challenge even greater in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie. Guiding the process and restoring players' confidence after a defeat, I really enjoy that."
Second half of the season
Looking ahead to the second half of the season, Weijs is cautiously optimistic and sees room for improvement. "What I hope, and also somewhat expect, is that the players who have now moved up to Ajax 1 will probably stay there. I don’t expect many to come back. That also creates opportunities, because it would mean our group remains largely the same. I hope that the players we will be working with continue to adapt better to the league, enabling them to see matches through and secure victories. If we keep creating chances as a team, like we did against MVV, then sooner or later we will win. That is simply a logical consequence of what is happening on the pitch."
"What I also find important is that we operate as a close-knit team, both on and off the pitch. Elisa’s passing affected us deeply, and you then see how everyone supports one another as a group. We must not forget to also pay attention to the person behind the player and support each other in order to form a real team."
