Ajax manager Erik ten Hag says his outfit needs to be patient and give Ghana star Mohammed Kudus confidence to regain his form after return from a long injury.
The former FC Nordsjaelland playmaker’s dreams in the UEFA Europa League League came crushing down in Rome against AS Roma on Thursday evening.
The 20-year-old Ghanaian prodigy missed the first leg encounter in the Netherlands and was brought on after 69 minutes to take the place of Edson Álvarez when Ajax was leading 1-0 on the night and 2-2 o on aggregate.
According to the Coach, “We shouldn’t underestimate the gravity of his injury,”
He further stated that ”You can clearly see his potential, but he also needs time. We need to be patient and give him confidence, we know what he can do. Surely, his form will come back.”
Despite his good showings in the game after his introduction, his team could not find the all-important second goal to secure their passage to the next round as they conceded after 77 minutes of the match through a spot kick.
Kudus missed the Champions League campaign due to injury and have been eliminated from the Europa League competition too which means their Ghanaian must help his side secure only a domestic title in the current season.
The game ended in a 1-1 stalemate but Roma are through on a 3-2 aggregate win over the two legs with their crucial win coming against the Dutch giants in Amsterdam last Thursday.
Kudus must wait for another season to prove his mettle in Europe after a disappointing season in Europe due to horribly injuries.