The dust has now settled on the news that Ajax have appointed former Rayo Vallecano star Michel as their new head coach.
The Spaniard joined the Amsterdam outfit last week, signing a two-year deal.
Who is Michel?
The 50-year-old head coach left Girona after the Catalan team suffered relegation. He may have ended his spell with his former club on a low note, but he had enjoyed a mostly positive five years with the club.
He helped the club to win promotion to La Liga in the 2021/22 season, having only signed a one-year contract.
After turning Girona into a steady La Liga club, Michel managed an even bigger feat in season 2023/24, as he guided Girona to their highest-ever finish of third in La Liga, which also meant qualification for the Champions League for the first time, too.
Unfortunately for Michel, the team were a victim of their own success, as they lost some key players in the summer of 2024. The team’s star attacking pair, Savio and Artem Dovbyk, left the club, as did midfield maestro Aleix Garcia.
The departures inevitably lead to a drop-off in the team’s form, especially since the replacements were not at the same level as the departed stars.
Girona went from challenging at the top of the table to struggling to beat the drop, finishing 16th place in the table, just a point outside the relegation zone.
Then came the 2025/26 season, when the Catalan outfit were not so lucky, as they finished 19th in La Liga and suffered relegation. The relegation led to Michel leaving the Spanish club.
Girona wasn’t Michel’s first managerial success, though, as he had already guided both Rayo Vallecano and Huesca to promotion to the Spanish top-flight. The Huesca promotion was particularly impressive as the minnows had never played top-flight football.
Michel does have an impressive managerial record. However, he has never coached outside Spain, so he is entering uncharted territory with his switch to Ajax.
Michel likes expansive football
The new Ajax head coach likes his teams to play expansive, attacking football, which will be music to the ears of the Ajax fans. The Dutch giants are expected to play a similar style of football.
Michel is versatile when it comes to the formations he uses, having used 4-2-3-1, 3-4-3, and 3-2-4-1 in recent years. His set-up will often depend on the situation or the team’s opponent.
He likes to play out from the back with his goalkeeper playing a key role in the build-up play, once again, an idea that had been used at Ajax in the past.
The Spaniard also likes his wingers to play wide and high up the pitch. Over the years, Ajax fans have loved their wingers.
Michel is a gamble worth taking
The appointment of Michel is a slight gamble by Ajax, as he has never coached abroad, and the Dutch giants are by far the biggest club he has managed so far in his managerial career.
However, Michel has done a good job at his last three clubs. Unfortunately, circumstances were against him at Huesca, as they were always fighting against the odds to avoid the drop from La Liga.
At Girona, there was the aforementioned issue with the club selling their best players, which led to a steady decline in quality.
Ajax’s circumstances are far different from those he has endured in his previous jobs. Michel won’t be fighting relegation, so he can concentrate on implementing his style on his players.
Ajax also need a head coach who plays football that excites the fans and, arguably more importantly, gets victories.
If he can get it right in Amsterdam, then Ajax and Michel could well prove to be a match made in heaven.