Daily Schmankerl: Erik ten Hag to stay with Ajax, Klose with U-17, RIP Cando, and more!

Erik ten Hag rules out leaving Ajax this winter (Football London)

At the press conference before Ajax Amsterdam faces Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Erik ten Hag ruled out abandoning his team in the middle of the season to take the reins at Bayern Munich. Ten Hag has been linked constantly with Bayern, both before and obviously after head coach Niko Kovac submitted his resignation on Sunday. But if he eventually comes to Bayern, it will not be through the January transfer window:

“Yes I can confirm I will stay,” Ten Hag said. “I feel a strong connection with my team, everyone at Ajax. I can confirm I will stay at Ajax this season.

”Bayern is a fantastic club, it is still in my heart but I am at Ajax. I’m not a dreamer. I focus on Ajax and live for today and tomorrow’s game, which is important.”

Asked if he had received contact from Bayern by a report in English, he added: “I’ve made my statement, I’ll leave it at that. Let’s talk about the game tomorrow.”

Miroslav Klose will not become Hansi Flick’s second assistant

Spiegel made waves online after claiming that “according to their information” Miroslav Klose, currently Bayern’s U-17 coach, would become interim coach Hansi Flick’s second assistant alongside Hermann Gerland. That would, of course, have been highly surprising, given Klose’s dedication to the U-17 team and his refusal this summer to move on from them after a year to the U-19 team — not to mention the same concerns that Erik ten Hag raised in his own comments about the Bayern job: abruptly abandoning his team mid-season.

That skepticism was in order. TZ’s Manu Bonke swiftly dismissed the rumor:

And Sport1’s Florian Plettenberg likewise confirmed that Klose will not join Flick’s coaching staff.

Cando in memoriam

German Bayern Twitter came to the sad realization that Jupp Heynckes’ beloved German shepherd Cando has passed away.

Bild reports,

Jupp Heynckes also missed his “best friend” very much in Munich, German shepherd Cando. He is now deceased.

Jupp is in top condition, and he has not destroyed his cell phone either. And if Uli calls, he’ll certainly make nice conversation — only the still-Bayern president can spare him the question about the coaching job.

AS Monaco right-back gives VAR a piece of his mind

Ruben Aguilar did his best Jürgen Klinsmann impression and kicked the VAR booth after he was sent off in the 93rd minute against St. Etienne.

Schalke’s Salif Sané out 3-4 months with lateral meniscus tear (Bild)

Schalke’s defensive boss Salif Sané will miss most of the remainder of the season after tearing his lateral meniscus in a collision with Augsburg’s Florian Niederlechner. Very fortunately for Sané, none of his knee ligaments were harmed.

Sarpreet Singh called up by New Zealand for friendlies against Ireland and Lithuania