Steven Berghuis lands painful kick at Heitinga, Grim and García

Steven Berghuis says plenty has already changed at Ajax in the early weeks under Míchel Sánchez. Compared with his predecessors John Heitinga, Fred Grim and Óscar García, there is at least a far clearer plan for each match, he told Ajax's club channels.

That is a painful conclusion. Ajax sacked their head coach twice last season, but each new appointment failed to deliver any real improvement. Berghuis even describes it as a 'heads or tails situation'.

"Last year I sometimes had the feeling before the match that it was heads or tails. You didn't really know what to expect," said Berghuis, who was ready for some calm and clarity after all the turmoil.

Under Míchel, Berghuis feels Ajax finally have that. "So that you are no longer dependent on that heads or tails, but know beforehand: if we do this, then Ajax will win. Then we will live up to expectations."

For all Jordi Cruyff's repeated insistence that Ajax should go all out for the title, Berghuis does not see that as essential.

"Whether you win a trophy or not... That you are competitive and have the feeling that you are the better side than your opponents, regardless of the result. That the Ajax crowd are proud of the team and that we are not dependent on the form of the day," Berghuis says of what he wants to achieve.

His role this season is still unclear. Berghuis scored once and laid on two assists against Telstar last weekend, but Ajax brought in Viktor Tsygankov late in the transfer window as serious competition for his position.