Tottenham vs Ajax: Erik ten Hag points to TV money in 'unfair' fixture argument

Parity: Ajax coach Erik ten Hag believes Tottenham's TV income makes up for their congested fixture list.
AFP/Getty Images
Joe Krishnan29 April 2019

Ajax manager Erik Ten Hag has suggested that the Premier League television money Tottenham receive is the reason why were not allowed to postpone their weekend fixture.

The Dutch side were given extra time to prepare for the Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday after the KNVB, the Dutch Football Association, agreed to reschedule the entire Eredivisie gameweek.

Tottenham, meanwhile, were forced to play on Saturday lunchtime and ended up on the losing side after a shock 1-0 home defeat to West Ham in their new stadium.

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino bemoaned the lack of assistance from the Premier League in rearranging the fixture, calling it "not fair", but ten Hag claimed they can't have it both ways.

"I can't really say a lot about that," he said in a news conference.

'Unfair': Mauricio Pochettino claimed Tottenham should have been given the same time to prepare as Ajax.
Getty/Tottenham Hotspur FC

"There are always different circumstances, we get 10 million (euros) from TV, they get a lot more, is that still unfair for them or for us? Everyone has different circumstances."

The Dutch giants, who had to come through qualification for the Champions League, have sprung a surprise in reaching the last four, having beaten Real Madrid and Juventus in the knockout stages.

Armed with Dutch starlets Frenkie De Jong and Matthijs de Ligt, ten Hag is confident that his side can continue to upset the odds and reach their first Champions League final in 22 years.

In Pictures | Tottenham train ahead of Ajax UCL clash | 29/04/19

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"We want to continue this curve," he added. "It's amazing that we are in the Champions League semi-finals.

"Nobody could have predicted at the beginning of the season that a Dutch team would end up in the Champions League semi-finals."

Additional reporting from the Press Association.

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