Geelen dismissed comparisons between Cruijff and former technical director Sven Mislintat, who was heavily criticized for his transfer policy. Geelen stated that the criticism was understandable at the time, but that the football department within the club was not functioning properly, which has since been addressed. The administrative unrest that Ajax experienced in the past few years has also been resolved, with Geelen crediting Cruijff and his team for the club's transfer success.
Geelen highlighted the importance of teamwork, mentioning that Cruijff works closely with other directors, including financial director Shashi Baboeram Panday and technical managers Daniel de Ridder and Siem de Jong. He also drew comparisons between Cruijff and former technical director Marc Overmars, noting that both have a good working relationship with the head scout and the trainer.