General Football Discussion

[Amol]

Disclaimer - I haven't actually read Cruijff's article yet. The only knowledge I have is because of people talking about the article. I will read it at some point today though.


We'd have to be blind to see that this Ajax isn't playing the Ajax way. But, I agree with some posters here by saying that we need to build a winning mentality first. That mentality has been lost in the past 4-5 years.

Ideally this team can win us the Eredivisie this year and is back in the CL for next year. Jol will mostly leave to go to his beloved England but by next summer, we'd have more coaches with better vision, interested in coming to Ajax.

To play the Ajax way, we need to have a real Ajax CF - Castillion could have been the answer and still may be. As for wingers, Beerens wanted a transfer to Ajax this year and maybe we can move for him next year. Eriksen/Lodeiro can be our answer at #10.

As for the kick and rush football which has been in evidence for the past 1-2 years, a decent coach can get rid of that. Hell, even some English sides don't play kick and rush these days.

[SE6Ajacied]

Blackburn Rovers scored in the third minute of injury time to beat Blackpool 2-1. Brett bloody Emerton, ex F-word to rub salt into the wound!!!

[SE6Ajacied]

OK, so who'd have thought it. Johan Derksen is a Blackpool fan.

Nice article this, probably the first and last time I'll post something in Dutch on the English zone.

http://www.vi.nl/Achtergronden/Columns- ... houden.htm

[Kowalczyk]

Own Goal of the Week.

How the f*ck did he do that?

Watch this.

K.

[aveslacker]

Own Goal of the Week.

How the f*ck did he do that?

Watch this.

K.

Unreal. It looks like he squeezed between his ass and the ground and it squirted up in the air. Nice placement, though.

[SPL]

At least SE6 will be happy Blackpool went to Anfield and won 2-1 . What a great result for them .

[SE6Ajacied]

At least SE6 will be happy Blackpool went to Anfield and won 2-1 . What a great result for them .

Yep, cheers! I've finally found a use for Liverpool FC TV which I've got on my TV package as well. I think I'll be watching for about the 3rd time ever when they show the whole game later on tonight.

Ajax weren't on today - ESPN are showing it tomorrow during the day when I'm at work but think I'll probably "forget" to record it.....

[SE6Ajacied]

Not sure if anyone's following the news from Croydon Athletic that I've been posting here but the news just gets worse and worse.

Very very sad this http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/spo ... ticle.html

Bill Shankly was totally wrong, life is much more important than a game of football.

[SE6Ajacied]

A bit of trivia - I know we've had two brothers playing for different national teams at the World Cup this year but this must surely be a first.

One player called up for his international debut fot two teams who are playing each other in the same game. Eric Lichaj (never heard of him I must admit) has decided he's American not Polish......

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 067310.stm

[ZoefdeHaas]

Nice goal

http://www.nusport.nl/video/2350879/bur ... rgoal.html

[SPL]

A nice story involving Zlatan. He has a mansion back in Malmo and last week he was there with a local architect talking about doing up the house and the architects 16 year old son,Erik Kristjansson, came along and being a Malmo youth player had a kick around with Zlatan . Zlatan was so impressed with the kid he took him back to Milan for a trial with the youths and the kid is staying there for the time being . Although this may mean another 16 year going abroad it is a nice story and puts Zlatan in a good light . Maybe Zlatan will finish his days as a scout !!

[ajaxusa]

A nice story involving Zlatan.

That IS a great story, and it confirms my (basically unjustified) "gut" feeling that Zlatan is a good guy...

Speaking of another good guy... This puts me in mind of something that happened this summer, when Mr. JOB was in my neighborhood and stopped by for dinner. If that wasn't great enough, he wanted to play football in the backyard, which we did, for over an hour! He did something equally nice a couple of years ago, when he met up with us at Venice Beach in LA, which was a total surprise for my boys, who still list him as their favorite Ajax player.

For those of us who take a long-term interest in the "sons of Ajax"... John is pursuing a college degree in Psychology, and is involved with the charity Soccer Without Borders (which I'm also slightly involved with, through his introduction). And he is of course just as nice, low key and sane as ever. I wouldn't be surprised if his interest in psychology somehow leads him back to working with athletes again someday. He's a very, very bright guy.

[SE6Ajacied]

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway works himself into a lather about the Bosman ruling and Wayne Rooney situation. Typical Holloway, great manager but a bit loopy with it but here he makes a lot of sense.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/9116212.stm

[ajaxusa]

I watched a fantastic game (last week I think) between Man City and Blackpool. The announcer mentioned the disparity in payroll, which I think was something like 190 million/year vs 2 million/year (euros? pounds? duckets?). I instantly found myself rooting like mad for Blackpool. I might even buy one of their shirts. What an unconscionably massive disparity...

Plucky li'l Blackpool!

[Orange14]

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway works himself into a lather about the Bosman ruling and Wayne Rooney situation. Typical Holloway, great manager but a bit loopy with it but here he makes a lot of sense.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/9116212.stm

Wonderful clip. I hope Michel Platini gets a look at this!!!

[GangstaRiB]

A nice story involving Zlatan.

That IS a great story, and it confirms my (basically unjustified) "gut" feeling that Zlatan is a good guy...

Speaking of another good guy... This puts me in mind of something that happened this summer, when Mr. JOB was in my neighborhood and stopped by for dinner. If that wasn't great enough, he wanted to play football in the backyard, which we did, for over an hour! He did something equally nice a couple of years ago, when he met up with us at Venice Beach in LA, which was a total surprise for my boys, who still list him as their favorite Ajax player.

For those of us who take a long-term interest in the "sons of Ajax"... John is pursuing a college degree in Psychology, and is involved with the charity Soccer Without Borders (which I'm also slightly involved with, through his introduction). And he is of course just as nice, low key and sane as ever. I wouldn't be surprised if his interest in psychology somehow leads him back to working with athletes again someday. He's a very, very bright guy.

Nice backyard you have there, Jim. I reckon O'Brien had a pretty decent salary at Ajax, was it good enough to retire? And where did John go after his release from Ajax? I'm totally unaware...

[Cedric]

He joined ADO for a while at least.

[ajaxusa]

We all have great big backyards out where I live, in the suburbs. And guns. We all have guns too. It's nuts.

After he left Ajax, he spent one year at ADO, then one year at Chivas LA (a new MLS team at the time) and then retired from competitive soccer. He's currently finishing a degree at university in LA. He never said anything to me about wanting to coach, but I suspect we'll see him around the game again one day, perhaps as a specialist trainer (sports psychology or something like that). Just a guess.

[aveslacker]

We all have great big backyards out where I live, in the suburbs. And guns. We all have guns too. It's nuts.

After he left Ajax, he spent one year at ADO, then one year at Chivas LA (a new MLS team at the time) and then retired from competitive soccer. He's currently finishing a degree at university in LA. He never said anything to me about wanting to coach, but I suspect we'll see him around the game again one day, perhaps as a specialist trainer (sports psychology or something like that). Just a guess.

I remember talking to him at the AjaxUSA reunion a few years back. He seemed like such a down to earth guy. Awesome that he dropped by to hang out.

FWIW he was also doing some columns for the New York Times around World Cup time, if I recall correctly.

[souras84]

What is the song that is played in the Arena, after we score a goal or at the end of the match? The one with the English lyrics

[SE6Ajacied]

What is the song that is played in the Arena, after we score a goal or at the end of the match? The one with the English lyrics

If it's the same as a few years ago it's definately by Madness (early 80's English pop/ska band). I haven't been to the Arena for a while so can't remember which song.

Edit, something tell's me it's the "House of Fun" but that's possibly wrong.

[souras84]

last time I was there was 12/2005. There was an english song I believe that was a ballad, like you'll never walk alone, that played at the end. Dont remember for sure, it could be dutch...

[SE6Ajacied]

last time I was there was 12/2005. There was an english song I believe that was a ballad, like you'll never walk alone, that played at the end. Dont remember for sure, it could be dutch...

Hmm, they pay the Queen song "We are the Champions" when there's an opportunity to but not sure what one you're talking about. The Madness song is only after goal celebrations I think.

Unless you mean the Bob Marley song "Three Little Birds" that they've adopted recently. That's certainly in English but it's a reggae song, I certainly wouldn't call it a ballad. I noticed from the TV that they were playing it at the Heerenveen game though. I think Ko posted a clip of the Ajax fans singing it at Cardiff a few years back and they certainly played it (on Police advice I expect) in the pub before the Aston Villa UEFA game a couple of years back to keep everyone chilled.

Edit: I think this must be it - here it is http://www.last.fm/music/Bob%2BMarley%2 ... ttle+Birds

[souras84]

last time I was there was 12/2005. There was an english song I believe that was a ballad, like you'll never walk alone, that played at the end. Dont remember for sure, it could be dutch...

Hmm, they pay the Queen song "We are the Champions" when there's an opportunity to but not sure what one you're talking about. The Madness song is only after goal celebrations I think.

Unless you mean the Bob Marley song "Three Little Birds" that they've adopted recently. That's certainly in English but it's a reggae song, I certainly wouldn't call it a ballad. I noticed from the TV that they were playing it at the Heerenveen game though. I think Ko posted a clip of the Ajax fans singing it at Cardiff a few years back and they certainly played it (on Police advice I expect) in the pub before the Aston Villa UEFA game a couple of years back to keep everyone chilled.

Edit: I think this must be it - here it is http://www.last.fm/music/Bob%2BMarley%2 ... ttle+Birds

thanx man! I am sure I know all these songs you are mentioning and I think its a Dutch ballad... Maybe I'm going crazy lately though... only time will tell

[SE6Ajacied]

I think its a Dutch ballad...

In which case it's probably something by André Hazes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Hazes). Take your pick from just about his whole back catalogue.