Ajax Are Doing Everything to Keep Ten Hag, Says Technical Manager

Ajax's Dutch coach Erik ten Hag poses during the Toto KNVB Cup Press Conference prior to the cup final against PSV Eindhoven at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam on April 15, 2022. (AFP)
Ajax's Dutch coach Erik ten Hag poses during the Toto KNVB Cup Press Conference prior to the cup final against PSV Eindhoven at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam on April 15, 2022. (AFP)
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Ajax Are Doing Everything to Keep Ten Hag, Says Technical Manager

Ajax's Dutch coach Erik ten Hag poses during the Toto KNVB Cup Press Conference prior to the cup final against PSV Eindhoven at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam on April 15, 2022. (AFP)
Ajax's Dutch coach Erik ten Hag poses during the Toto KNVB Cup Press Conference prior to the cup final against PSV Eindhoven at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam on April 15, 2022. (AFP)

Ajax Amsterdam are doing "everything possible" to retain head coach Erik ten Hag, who has been linked with a move to Manchester United next season, the Dutch club's technical manager Gerry Hamstra said.

United are looking to appoint a permanent manager with interim boss Ralf Rangnick's tenure set to end after this season.

Ten Hag was appointed by Ajax during the 2017-18 campaign and led them to the Dutch league title in 2019 and 2021, as well as the Champions League semi-finals in 2019.

"There is interest for Erik ten Hag, that is normal. He has done fantastic," Hamstra said on Sunday before the Dutch Cup final, which Ajax lost 2-1 to PSV Eindhoven.

"We hope he stays ... We did everything possible (to keep him at Ajax). We were very busy with that.

"He reacted that he is focusing on Ajax now. Now we are preparing for two scenarios, Ten Hag might stay or might leave."



‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
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‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)

The Paris Olympics look likely to get off to a soggy start.

Meteo-France, the French weather service, is predicting “flooding rains” Friday evening when the opening ceremony is set to unroll along the Seine River. But the show is set to go on as planned, starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT/7:30 p.m. CEST and should last more than three hours.

Already in the late afternoon, skies were gray with intermittent drizzle. There was a silver lining, though, with temperatures expected to stay relatively warm throughout the evening.

Instead of a traditional march into a stadium, about 6,800 athletes will parade on more than 90 boats on the Seine River for 6 kilometers (3.7 miles). Though 10,700 athletes are expected to compete at these Olympics, hundreds of soccer players are based outside Paris, surfers are in Tahiti and many have yet to arrive for their events in the second week, organizers said Thursday.

Hundreds of thousands of people, including 320,000 paying and invited ticket-holders, are expected to line the Seine’s banks as athletes are paraded along the river on boats.