I could play for Holland, but I want to make my dad proud, says Charlie Setford, the teenage goalkeeper for the club.
He is English and has been for me all the time. I always wanted to play for England.
Setford is attempting to establish himself in the professional game with the four-time European champion.
He has been a regular in the first-team squad this season.
It will be another occasion for the 17-year-old to remember, as he will be limited in his involvement on Tuesday.
In the group stage, Setford was on the bench for both of the victories against Dortmund, but on Friday he was in the stands for the win.
Setford talked about the priceless experiences he had at such a young stage of his career.
Chris Setford is a golfer and the father of Setford.
He signed a three-year professional contract with Ajax in 2020 after being spotted by the club when he was seven.
Setford has made seven appearances for the reserve side of the club this season, in addition to his exposure at first-team level.
At international level, he has progressed as well. He wanted to make his father proud and switched his loyalties to England in the summer of 2019.
Setford said that he had a largely English upbringing. Some of the music on Dutch TV is Dutch, but it is mostly English at home. English football is more entertaining and interesting to watch than Dutch.
If Setford had been at an English club, they would have been looking for a loan move to give him more experience, because the Under-23 football played in the Premier League 2 is not the standard for a smooth transition to the first team.
Setford doesn't have a problem with that because he has professional experience in the Dutch second tier with the reserve side.
He said that the Eerste Divisie is great to play in if you are at a big club. It is pressure. It is high level. It's also about money. You are playing against people who already have children.
In England, you don't have the same quality of life. The Under-23 league is not a proper league because you are only playing against your own age. It's a big step to the premier league.
In a league where three points are important and where you can't afford to make sloppy mistakes or switch off because you will be punished, you play with Jong Ajax.
The first-team environment is something Setford is enjoying.
The senior side are trying to reach the quarter-finals for the second time in four years, going into Tuesday's last-16 second leg with a 2-2 draw with Benfica.
Ten Hag has made a significant impact in just over four years as the manager of Ajax, and is on Manchester United's radar to become their next permanent boss.
Setford joined the first team of Ten Hag and felt that he had benefited from the added intensity.
The first-team training sessions are very high. The first team shoots with more power and accuracy. It is a higher level.
It is difficult being a goalkeeper. You need to be alert. You cannot switch off. You are not good enough yet to be the first-team goalkeeper and that is when you realize.
Setford gets feedback about his abilities and areas he needs to improve on.
He said that to get to shots that go to the far corner, you need to be explosive. I struggle with the balls that come into the far corner.
Over the past few months, I have realized my left foot is more powerful than my right foot. The trainers put the balls into the top corner so I can jump and land correctly, with the right technique, every day at training.
Setford is not the only member of his family. Tommy is a goalkeeper at the club with the goal of being better than his brother.
Although with a sportsman for a dad as well, it has made for a pretty competitive Setford household, even if Charlie is adamant that he is at ping-pong and football.
Setford's immediate goal is to hope that he gets more positive experiences as his career progresses.
Even though he has never played club football in England, he has long-term plans for the premier league.
He said that he wants to move to the premier league eventually. That and playing for England are big dreams for me.
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