ten Cate to join Chelsea

[Shaggy]

Breaking news on the Beeb...'Ajax release Henk ten Cate to join Chelsea'.

A coach of some repute, isn't he? Although I hear he's much of a **** of a man as he is a good coach.

[Red_Polo]

Gets his teams to play some pretty football but doesn't have the nous of a really top coach, so I am told.

[stringy]

Nothing to worry about. He's no Mourhino. More Mcmahon.

[Slim]

Where does this leave Steve Clarke I wonder?

[Tee]

Where does this leave Steve Clarke I wonder?

Down the dole office I hope.

[Slim]

Down the dole office I hope.

[Reece]

He was Rijkaards right hand man at Barca during the spell when they were pretty much unbeatable.

[Shaggy]

He was Rijkaards right hand man at Barca during the spell when they were pretty much unbeatable.

Yah...I remember him getting a lot of the credit at the time and his departure was seen as a major factor in their below-par showing last season.




Ajax have given Chelsea the green light to open talks with boss Henk ten Cate about adding the Dutchman to the coaching set-up at Stamford Bridge.

Ten Cate is expected to join Chelsea as assistant to Avram Grant, who recently succeeded Jose Mourinho as Blues boss.

"Ajax have reached agreement with the English club about the immediate transfer of Henk ten Cate to Chelsea," said an Ajax statement.

Ajax expect a deal to be reached quickly between the two parties.

The statement from the club added: "After being approached by Chelsea, Henk ten Cate asked the Ajax management last week for permission to start negotiations with the Premier League side.


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"After internal deliberations, Ajax granted permission."

Ten Cate was formerly assistant to Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard and helped the Catalan club win the Champions League and Spanish title in 2006.

He took over at Ajax at the start of last season and led the club to joint-top in his first campaign, with the club losing out on the title by goal difference.

Ajax did win two domestic cup competitions but Ten Cate has endured a more difficult time so far during the current campaign.

Ajax went out of the Champions League in the third qualifying round after being beaten by Slavia Prague and were knocked out of the Uefa Cup by Dinamo Zagreb.

The international break could allow the switch to take place before Chelsea's next Premier League game at Middlesbrough on 20 October.

[The_weatherman]

Wonder how much Roman forked out for this one ?

[Parm]

he was Rijkaards main man at Barca, really did all the technical/tactics for the team. He seems ok as a manager, but is he anything special? well he seems to have worked wonders for the smaller Dutch clubs he's been at.

[The_weatherman]

Still, it´s just brilliant that while Jose is manager they get Grant to be director, that doesn't work so they get Grant as a manager and a new director in place. I think Hiddink will come in soon as either manager or director. Who's in charge over the team?

[Redlife]

Who's in charge over the team?

[AFII]

Probably means that Hiddink will join them in the summer.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

Then why bring in Cate when you've already got a yes man in place in Grant?

Maybe it's to placate the players? Didn't one say anonymously that the training sessions under him were "amateurish"?

Another cook for an already overcrowded kitchen.

[Jayesh87]

He is also very close to Barca's top youth players