Azor Matusiwa (27) is eyeing promotion to the Premier League with Ipswich Town this term. The club’s midfield metronome told Voetbalzone he is relishing the chance to showcase his game on Match of the Day next season.
Born in Hilversum, the combative midfielder has established himself as an indispensable component of The Tractor Boys’ engine room, logging 3,370 minutes across 39 competitive outings this term. Yet, as the business end approaches, he insists the hard work has only just begun.
Rennes
When we last caught up with him, he was plying his trade at Stade Reims in France; since then, two clubs have come and gone. “I’ve now moved on to two other clubs. I had a great time at Reims and then decided to take the next step to Stade Rennes. There were a lot of issues going on behind the scenes at that club. A lot of noise, which also affected our performances on the pitch.”
“There was a lack of stability, which made me decide it was time for something new. The Rennes management wanted to keep me, but I had a very good feeling about Ipswich. Once I’d spoken to manager Kieran McKenna, I was certain. I still had three years left on my contract in France, but fortunately they granted me this transfer. It was handled very professionally and I’m grateful for that,” says Matusiwa with satisfaction.
Midfielder Ryan Matusiwa has completed over 100 Ligue 1 appearances over a four-season spell, earning him a move to England’s Championship. “At some point, you’re ready for a new challenge, a new environment,” the 24-year-old explained. “However, it was important to me that everything fell into place. I’ve always dreamed of playing in England, but the club had to be the right fit for me.”
“I’m not the sort of player who signs for the first club that comes along. It had to be an attractive proposition, both in sporting and financial terms, and Ipswich can offer that. This club has the ambition to return to the Premier League and stay there. Hopefully we’ll manage to get promoted this season,” said Matusiwa.
Despite repeated searches by leading Dutch clubs for a quality defensive midfielder, none ever tabled a concrete offer for him. “My agent never mentioned anything,” he says bluntly. “Maybe I’m just too expensive.”
“The fees paid for me in recent years were substantial; if clubs could have signed me for a few million euros, things might have been different,” he adds, referring to moves that have already accumulated 30 million euros in transfer fees. “That doesn’t add pressure. Compared to others, it’s manageable.”
McKenna
Matusiwa admits he knew little about Ipswich, yet a single pre-season conversation with manager McKenna was enough to seal the deal. “He told me exactly what I needed. The best thing is that everything has worked out so far. Many people will say that moving from Ligue 1 to the Championship is a step back, but I don’t see it in such black-and-white terms. We’re talking about the top of the Championship.”
“Ligue 1 may feature higher individual talent and bigger clubs, but England remains a more formidable footballing nation, driven by an even more fervent fan culture. Right now we are competing in the second tier, yet every ground is packed to the rafters. I occupy a key role within a squad fully focused on reaching the Premier League, and all the essential ingredients are in place for me,” Matusiwa states.
The former Jong Oranje youth international feels he is making great progress. “The Championship suits me well as a player. I’ve always loved putting in a lot of energy and fighting spirit, but I’ve noticed in particular that I’ve really improved tactically under this manager. That has nothing to do with the league, but purely with his qualities.”
“On a personal level, too, the manager has helped me enormously since I arrived at Ipswich. My wife and I came here with our baby, and moving to a new country is tough. Everything at this club is very human, which is brilliant. Now it is up to me to give something back.”
Matusiwa is convinced that football fans worldwide will hear plenty more from the 39-year-old McKenna in the years ahead. “As a squad, we’re lucky to have such a good manager. I hope I can play under him for a long time, but Ipswich is definitely not his final destination.”
For now, he is relishing every minute in the Championship. “It’s a fantastic league where everything can change very quickly. You can struggle against any team, so amid all the chaos I try to hold on to my footballing qualities. I still notice in every match that I benefit from my Dutch youth training at Ajax. That foundation gives me composure on the ball.”
“The only thing I’m missing is a bit more sunshine in the stadiums,” laughs Matusiwa. “Although I’ve heard the weather in other parts of England is even worse. I’m absolutely delighted with this move and that I listened to my instincts, and we hope to achieve our goal in the coming months.”
Ipswich remain well placed in the race for promotion. After 39 matches they occupy second place with 72 points, the same haul as Middlesbrough and Millwall, who have, however, played two games more. Leaders Coventry City, on 84 points, are virtually assured of their return to the Championship.
Match of the Day
In early March, Matusiwa netted his first goal for the club, a decisive 70th-minute strike that secured a 1-0 home win over Hull City. “A wonderful moment,” he said. “A very important one too, because Hull were in the top six at the time. It was a difficult match.”
“Breaking the deadlock in the 70th minute with such a lovely goal felt like paying back the supporters and teammates for the warm welcome here. I don’t score often, but even if I did, this would still rank among my best,” Matusiwa says with pride.
Portman Road regularly hosts 30,000 vocal supporters for every home match, while thousands more make the journey for away fixtures. “We really have brilliant supporters; they’re incredibly loyal,” Matusiwa adds. “Even on weekdays, they travel hundreds of kilometres to watch us play. It’s just brilliant to play for supporters like that, and I’d love to take them along on my Premier League dream.”
Even as a child, Matusiwa would tune in to Match of the Day, the BBC’s legendary football programme, every weekend. “Back then, Manchester United dominated the league. Carlos Tevez, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo – you name them all. That’s why playing at Old Trafford is right at the top of my list. I’ve watched so many of that team’s matches…”
“Before we get carried away, though, we must secure promotion. We’re in a strong position, but in the Championship there’s no time to sit back and relax. I can sense that focus in our squad,” the sharp-witted North Holland native added.
Akpom
In the Ipswich dressing room, Matusiwa gets on well with several players. “I still speak a lot of French with my teammate Cédric Kipré, so that helps me keep improving my French. I also have a good rapport with Chuba Akpom.”
“Of course, Chuba and I have talked about Ajax, every week in fact. He’s obviously played there recently and is still owned by the club. What can you say about it? These days, it’s no longer the Ajax I know… Let’s leave it at that,” says Matusiwa amiably.
Another veteran in the Ipswich squad is Ashley Young, who is now 40. “He’s a truly great player, even if people sometimes underestimate that. Look at what Ashley has achieved: he played for years at that Manchester United side we were just discussing.”
“It is impressive that such a superstar has stayed so down-to-earth,” says Matusiwa. “He is cracking jokes with everyone all day long. It is remarkable that Ashley is older than our coach. Forty years old and still performing at such a high level. I am not sure I will make it that far, especially if I remain in the cut-throat world of the Championship.”
Off the pitch, Matusiwa is devoted to his wife and young son. “The days are long at Ipswich because I invest heavily in my career, so when I get home I cherish every moment with my family. Watching my little boy grow up is truly special. Every small interaction is a joy. He keeps trying to pick up his ball with his hands, so I’m slowly encouraging him to use his feet instead. But if he wants to play tennis later on, that’s fine too!”
Matusiwa lives close to the town centre. “It’s a lovely place, but there isn’t an awful lot to do. The people are very friendly, though. If they recognise you, they might ask for a photo or an autograph, but they never really bother you. So that bit of appreciation is just nice and respectful.”
“We’ll be moving into a slightly bigger house soon. When I have a few days off, we sometimes pop over to London for a day and a half. Those sorts of trips are always fun. Later on, we’ll surely look back and think about how special those moments were,” says Matusiwa.
International career
In previous interviews, Matsuswa spoke openly about his ambition to earn a call-up to the Netherlands national team. Today, however, the midfielder is channelling his energy into club football, setting his sights on a swift move to the Premier League with Ipswich Town. “I want to get into the Premier League as soon as possible,” he explains. “The plan is to do that with Ipswich. After that, I’ll see what comes my way. When I was playing in France, I thought about the Dutch national team a lot more.”
“To be honest, that’s become a lot less of a priority since I became a father. Of course, I’m still open to it, but it’s no longer really my dream. During international breaks, I can now spend quality time with my family. That’s hugely valuable too. You’d miss out on moments like that if you were selected,” Matusiwa realises all too well.
In recent years he has been approached several times by Angola and Congo about switching international allegiances, but the idea holds little appeal. “I’m not interested in that right now. I played youth internationals for the KNVB and loved it; everything was so well organised. When I see what happened during the Africa Cup of Nations final, that’s one reason I’m not keen on a switch. It’s ridiculous—there’s just no structure.”
“Perhaps I’ll feel differently one day, but I can’t imagine that right now. In the short term, I’m just focusing on Ipswich and our promotion battle. I want to compete against the best players in the world in the Premier League. Then I’ll finally be on Match of the Day,” concludes Matusiwa with a wink.