Ajax now is not Ajax 1995 (duh…)
November 12, 2008
By an AD-reader:
I am starting to get fed up with all the criticism on Ajax’ counter-attacking style, realism and AZ’s beautiful football. Look at the history of Ajax, Feyenoord, PSV and AZ and you’ll draw the following three conclusions:
1. Ajax is the most successful Dutch club ever
2. In the last seasons, PSV did better than Ajax and Feyenoord.
3. AZ has yet to become a consistent top club.
And with some more depth in our analysis, we find that since Ajax moved to De Arena, the performance of Ajax decreased. The expectations however, grew. From the cosy club from De Meer to the European top club with big ambitions.
Look at the signings and look at the statements of the board. One million euros signing after the other. And if a season was disappointing, another strategic plan was written, describing how Ajax could stay (?) amongst the biggest 16 clubs in Europe.
And all fueled by our results from the past.
The most successful Ajax teams were basically all manned with self developed players. Maybe two or three non Ajax players were allowed to interfere with the way Ajax played. We never followed the madness of buying players. We didn’t have to. And we couldn’t.
When Ajax won the UEFA Cup in 1992 and the CL in 1995, it was close to bankruptcy. The only thing left for the club to do was use youthful talents.
On September 14 1994, Ajax played their first game in the CL against AC Milan. Away. No one really thought Ajax had a chance. The world watched on, how the youngsters, all of them virtually no-names, outplayed the European champs. And we beat them again, weeks later. And in the finals!
David beat Goliath, not once, not twice, but thrice! We were, to be honest, a tad surprised ourselves.
We all hark back to those days, but we seem to forget that since 1995 no coach and no club has been able to copy that result.
Thirteen years back, Van Gaal’s success was a surprise. Now, it seems to be the norm. That norm has been swept of the table by Uri Coronel. The preposterous strategic plan is now used as note paper in the laundry room.
Forget the demands of media and public to play great football. That puts too much pressure on. Look at AZ. There are no demands there. Or it should be: finishing in the top 5. And look: AZ plays fresh and attacking football. The players enjoy themselves.
But we are Ajax. Two stars on the chest. A stadium housing 50.000+ fans and a towering budget. A name, synonymous with attractive, gutsy play. But not in the last ten seasons, thank you very much. And thus, we need to make giant leaps forward.
But most of all, we need patience. The Ajax of today is not the Ajax of 1995 or the Ajax of 1971. Times have changed, the competion has changed and the team has changed.
This is the Ajax of 2008. In five years we’ll look back: will Ajax have lost face or gained a new one? I think the latter… But don’t hold your breath…
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Sno ready to replace Huntelaar
November 12, 2008
Volendam-Ajax will be a national cup match with only one real striker. Ajax puzzled and found a solution: Evander Sno will replace Huntelaar.
At Volendam, Jack Tuyp is the lone hunter up front.
The Hulk, or something like that… That’s the nickname Evander Sno earned in Amsterdam. The strong former Feyenoord talent will be leading the attack against the club that conceded most goals this season. To prepare him, two of Oranje’s former finest were prepping him with yummie crosses at the last training; assistants Rob Witschge and John van ‘t Schip. Sno only needed to finish.
Van Basren: “Our young strikers Castillion and Bodul aren’t ready yet. They will need to earn their promotion first and Bodul is just back from a 5 week injury.”
Cvitanich and Sulejmani are recovering faster than planned, which of course is positive news for Van Basten. Specially for the latter, Ajax planned a friendly against amateurs Katwijk, to help him get fit for PSV. New signing Enoh, also injured, will also get some play-time against the amateurs.
Jack Tuyp, the real striker at Volendam: “We’re ready for this match. It may not be a derby, but they are some sort of neighbour. We’ll be 120% motivated. And anything can happen in cup matches!”
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Luigi Bruins has to work for it…
November 11, 2008
Luigi Bruins working hard…
Gertjan Verbeek’s way of working brought the first team of Feyenoord a lot closer to the young talents of the club from Rotterdam. But, the distance from the Feyenoord elite to the B-team has shrunk as well. Luigi Bruins, last year starter for Feyenoord, has been relegated to the bench and played for Feyenoord 2 this Monday.
Wijnaldum and Fer develop themselves like racecars, while Bruins seems to have slowed down. The 21 year old sees this as the logical setback, now he is ignored by Verbeek. “What to do? Simple…work hard. And tonight, it went well.”
Just before he got subbed, Luigi had scored the 4-1. Verbeek feels his players need rhythm. “He must make his minutes. Against Utrecht he only played ten minutes.”
He who doesn’t start in the first team, plays in Feyenoord 2, is Verbeek’s rule. Theo Lucius also played, Michael Mols was given a day off.
The Man of the Match for Feyenoord was Timothy Derijck. The Belgium talent, who seems to have lost his future at Feyenoord had one assist and ruled in midfield. Sparta coach Geert Meijer: “That kids is too good for this level. Feyenoord has so much more quality. They sign players from Brazil, South Africa and Poland. And you see that in their skills. We lose possession in midfield and bam bam, two passes and they score. My Feyenoord colleague must have had a great day.”
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AZ leads; Ajax wins and loses…
November 10, 2008
Huntelaar injured…
And suddenly there’s a Sunday like we are used to… Ajax wins, Feyenoord wins, AZ wins…
But Ajax lost too. Klaas Jan Huntelaar will be out for the games against PSV and AZ when his ankle collapsed. Today, the striker - who opened the bank account aainst Sparta - will be checked in hospital to see how serious the damage is. With Sulejmani, Aissati and Cvitanich injured it seems Evander Sno will be pulled back in to lead Ajax’ offense with Suarez. The latter scored another goal against Sparta, as did Sno, in the 5-2 win. Kennedy had his first starting position - Van Basten told him before the season he didn’t need him - and the right winger played a good match, with an assist and a goal. Suarez will be penalized by Van Basten though. The important striker took a yellow again, after a dive. “This has to stop,” Van Basten said. “If he goes on like this he will be suspended after every card. He’s too important for us. I think I have to maybe fine him, I don’t know…”
AZ hosted FC Twente, who hadn’t recuperated from their tough match against Man City. AZ was sharper and fresher and won 3-0, with Brazilian Ari the big man and Demy de Zeeuw the driving force in midfield.
Van Gaal tried to talk their victory down a bit and must be pre-occupied with the growing list of injuries in his camp: Schaars, Dembele, Jaliens, El Hamdaoui, Lens and Luyckx: “If N’Kufo had scored his first chance, it could have been a totally different game…”
Wijnaldum in the solo…
Feyenoord - FC Utrecht meant the return of Willem van Hanegem in De Kuip. The fans greeted the club hero with chants and applause, but cheered their team to a big victory: 5-2. Feyenoord started aggressively and with attacking flair, with Gio opening the score early from a free-kick. Biseswar scored two goals to make it 3-0, but Feyenoord allowed Utrecht back in the game, to 3-2 (with the second one a freak-goal: Timmer hitting an Utrecht player and the ball bouncing in the goal via the post). El Ahmadi and Makaay killed the game off for Feyenoord.
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PSV keeps stumblin’…
November 9, 2008
Wisgerhof scores the 1-0 against PSV
It’s not news anymore. The Top Three have difficulties winning their games. This time around, Mario Been’s NEC again was the slayer of a giant. After having beat Feyenoord in De Kuip and almost having upset Ajax in Amsterdam, this time around the UEFA cup participant beat PSV in Nijmegen, 1-0 (Wisgerhof). And the only thing Been can complain about was the fact that it stayed a mere 1-0. His team should have put PSV away more convincingly.
PSV coach Huub Stevens: “What can I say? I can’t put my shoes on and do it for them. You prepare them as best as you can and than it’s up to them…”
NEC climbed to the 5th place of the standings. PSV is number 4 but could drop two places today.
Crisis in Eindhoven?
NAC, in the meantime, won 2-0 against De Graafschap and is the new leader. Today, AZ and Ajax are able to reach the same number of points (22 points after 10 games). Feyenoord hosts Willem van Hanegem’s FC Utrecht.
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