Ajax boss Francesco Farioli talks Jordan Henderson, working for INEOS and embracing history

Ajax head coach Francesco Farioli sat down with Sky Sports News reporter Paul Gilmour to talk about embracing the team's history, winning over club legends, why he made Jordan Henderson his captain & working under INEOS.

The 35-year-old took charge of Ajax in the summer on a three-year deal after impressing in France with Nice, a club owned by Manchester United's part-owners INEOS.

Farioli has steered Ajax back on course after a disastrous season last time out saw them finish fifth, their lowest position in the table since 1999/00.

The Italian, the first foreign coach in Amsterdam for 25 years, has guided Ajax to within two points of the Champions League spots as we approach the winter break in the Eredivisie.

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Here, he speaks to Sky Sports News ahead of Thursday's Europa League game at Spanish side Real Sociedad, with Ajax heading into gameweek five second in the standings.

Francesco, we know Ruben Amorim is keen for Manchester United's players to go on a tour of the club to understand the history. This is something you've done when your players visited the Ajax Museum. What was the thinking behind it?

"When you join a club with a big history, I think it's really important to feel and understand what you are stepping into. There is no future without history and if you are at a club like Ajax, you cannot really forget and it helps us to connect with the club. At Ajax it is not just about the trophies, but it is a way of playing and the expectation. Football here is a religion and a certain way of playing football is a religion. We saw images of the coaches and players to have passed through Amsterdam and it was something special."

You worked under INEOS as Head Coach of Nice. What can Manchester United fans expect from them?

"My experience with the INEOS group was positive. They are so detailed with clear plans and I'm sure they are doing the same (at Manchester United). They are very clear about what they want to do so I have no doubt Manchester United will have great times again."

Ronald De Boer says you have brought a 'positive vibe' back to Ajax and Louis Van Gaal predicted you will take the club back to the top. How pleasing was that to hear from legends of Ajax?

"Myself, my coaching staff, the people I met here, and the players all agreed very fast that the priority was to try and change the vibes at the club because as you know the last two years were not the best. Of course, we are still at the beginning of a process but step one was try to change the vibes and really connect each other as a way of bringing togetherness back. When I heard Mr Van Gaal speaking in this way I was really grateful for these words. I had the chance to speak with him privately some months ago and it was fantastic because he's a legend of the club and football in general. He made history here and our conversation was about his own experience of taking Ajax as a young coach, so it was priceless to receive advice."

How have you found the balance of giving people the offensive football they want but combining it with a solid defensive structure?

"If you are fancy but not pragmatic enough it becomes naïve. I believe that you need to be well prepared in every phase of the game. As a coach one of the main duties is to make the transition between attack and defence smooth. We have to be really aware about what we want to do when we have the ball but also to be a protagonist in the moment we don't have it, and try to recover. If it's not possible to recover the ball high up the pitch we also must have an idea of how to do it when defending deeper."

How do you keep up with all the latest football trends?

"The game is changing constantly and the number of people studying the game is increasing all the time. Years ago one idea could give you a competitive advantage for maybe one season or at least part of the season. Now the reality is one good idea lasts for 45 minutes or less with all the analysts and assistant coaches, time to go to the dressing room at half-time, analyse the opponent and deliver the proper tactical correction. Adaptation is so important for us and to have more than one identity and the capacity to play different games inside of the same one is the main challenge."

Jordan Henderson is your captain. What is it like coaching him?

"When I came here he was one of the first players I spoke with and I decided very early to give him the armband. He represents the work ethic and professionalism values that are key for us. He knows how to carry people in a certain direction as do all the leaders in the group. We are lucky to have a group of players that are motivated to make the necessary steps to bring Ajax back where it belongs."

How have you dealt with setbacks in your management career?

"Football is never straightforward. It's always made by moments, both positive and negative. Some problems you can anticipate and prevent but it's possible to face some unexpected issues and this happened to me last season. There are situations that you cannot study for because they happen suddenly and at that point it's not the coach that needs to answer but the human being. It's about having the capability to connect with the situation and to keep calm. We are working in a collective sport and the most important thing is to bring people together. For me this is the main principle that leads all my decisions."

Examples of those unexpected situations?

Some cases were so delicate that it deserves sensitivity from our side so it's best not to go into details. Sometimes we speak about football players and see them as rock star or as people who are living in another world. We forget most of the time they are young kids. Yes they are lucky to be in this environment where money is not usually an issue or where being famous is the reality. The other side of this is that they are young kids and exposed to a lot of pressure. One day they are praised and the next they are criticised without any kind of filter, and this can lead to certain reactions. It's also important to have a professional figure to help us but the most important part is to connect with people."

What are your own ambitions? (Has previously been linked with English and Scottish clubs)

I said it before but there is no future without history and all my energy and attention is here at Ajax. A few months ago I found a club that was not living its best moment and now we are in a moment that we still need to clean up a little. It's like the basement of a building and we try to make the foundations solid. After we try to add the floor on top of the house and eventually see the rooftop. Honestly, this is my ambition and my main duties now."

You are 35. Fabian Hurzeler at Brighton is 31. Why do you think clubs are trusting in young managers and is it an advantage compared to ex-pros who would still be playing at that age?

"Fabian and I speak from time to time. His passport says he is really young but if you talk to him you recognise his maturity. He's already an old man behind a young face. Years ago they were saying this was a big disadvantage but now because there are a lot of young coaches it looks like an advantage. If you don't have a career as a football player and you want to deliver results you have to compensate or even overcompensate for the areas you are missing a certain kind of experience. Without the professional playing career you study the game, prepare a proper methodology and focus on how to deliver on the pitch with a desire to learn, listen and improve yourself. Everything is based on relationships, connection, and shared values. My main priority is to lead by example so if I ask for hard work I need to be the first one to prove it."

You studied philosophy. How important is it to improve yourself constantly?

"At that time I was a bit far from becoming a coach so the decision to do this at the time was made by the desire to get better and improve as a person. It helped me develop my mindset and to prepare myself for life because I didn't really know what was next. I spent the recent international break in Qatar with my coaching staff (speaking at a conference at the Aspire Academy) so it was a good opportunity to meet some friends and for us as a group to keep improving and share some knowledge. I spent two great years of my life there."