John Heitinga

[aveslacker]

F*^k it...

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/heitinga ... co-108833/

Ajax defender Johnny Heitinga has agreed to join Atletico Madrid at the end of the season, according to reports from the Netherlands.

One down...how many to go???

All the best JH. You are always an Ajacied imo.

Johnny H, wie kent hem niet? Johnny H is een echte Ajacied!

Godspeed John. We will miss you.

[gordonvandekamp]

Yeah good luck to him.

I am not surprised at all, I thought he was one of the most likely to go. More than probably all our other players, he's put the most into the club and is ready to move on (Huntelaar still has another year to put in, hopefully). Van Basten as coach probably didn't have much affect, as far as I know there isn't any real trouble between the two, but I don't think having him as coach is any more incentive to stay than he already had (especially playing for Oranje). I don't think there is a player in the first team more passionate about the club than him, and I think that will be missed.

With him gone (as if it was already needed), I hope there's a total overhaul of the defensive backs for next season. I've been saying it all season, we need a solid defense, and he's our most solid.

Like I said, good luck to him, he's been our best defender this year with very little support, which is a bad position for him to be in, but I think he's handled things very well. I hope he does well in Spain.

[SPL]

Yes good luck to Heits a true Ajax man.

[peter]

He will be missed for sure, but 10 million euros is a hell of a lot of money imo.

Now spend your money wisely Ajax!

[SE6Ajacied]

Farewell Johnny - A true Ajacied It'll be interesting to see how he does against Real (and Sneijder) next season.

[Van basten]

Johny is voted the best player of Eedivisie this year! Gomes in second place, Pranjic third

[DanK]

Johny is voted the best player of Eedivisie this year! Gomes in second place, Pranjic third

Great news for JH. Fully deserves it.

Gomes? WTF? Oh yeah I forgot you can give awards to annoying sh*ts (OK, OK yes he's not a bad keeper).

Surprised KJH is not top 3 though. 33 goals. Surely that automatically gives you top 3

[Van basten]

Golden Boy Heitinga Admits Leaving Ajax Was Hard

It’s no doubt been a great year for Johnny Heitinga, whose performances with Ajax have earned him the Eredivisie Player of the Season award and a 10-million-euros move to Atlético Madrid. So why is he sad?
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galleria zoom “When it [the transfer] was all agreed, I was on automatic pilot. I drove home a little bit numb, I didn’t know how to feel,” the 24-year-old international defender told Ajax’s official website.

“I’ve heard from former team-mates who chose to move abroad before me that it’s all so completely different: the football, the competitions, the opponents, life… I’m just very curious.”

Feeling guilty

“It’s almost impossible for me not to feel guilty towards the fans that have always supported me. Let me say this: I had to put in a lot of effort to cut the knot agonising over this decision to leave Ajax. But it’s something I feel I need to do.”

Heitinga joined the famous Ajax youth academy when he was only seven and was promoted to their first squad during the 2001-’02 season. Since then he played in 211 competitive games, scored 23 goals and scooped four Johan Cruijff Schalen, two Eredivisie trophies and three Beker titles.

He also established himself as a regular with the national side, featuring in 33 matches and netting five times since his debut, on February 18, 2004.

Golden Shoe

And now Heitinga has been voted as the best player in the ’07-’08 Eredivisie campaign by conjuring up 206 points. He beat off competition by PSV Eindhoven Brazilian international goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes and Heerenveen Croatian international left midfielder Danijel Pranjić, the two of them sharing the Silver Shoe with 201.5 points each. Feyenoord’s Gio van Bronckhorst was fourth on 199 points and Vitesse’s highly-rated goalie Piet Velthuizen fifth on 198.5.

It’s an annual poll organized by De Telegraaf, the biggest-selling morning daily in the Netherlands, with the rankings based on the rating of all footballers throughout the entire championship. Heitinga is the 27th winner, succeeding Brazilian Afonso Alves, who’s also moved abroad in the meantime, having left Heerenveen for Middlesbrough.

Heitinga delighted

“I’ve been keeping an eye on these rankings for years, especially as they are assessed by former top players,” the newly-crowned winner told the newspaper, adding he was delighted with the prize. “First thing every Monday morning I go through the newspapers to see the ratings. I have been thinking about this prize, the best thing you can wish for as a player, for a long time.”

Head of the De Telegraaf match reporters is Derk Schneider. A former international defender himself, although he spent the bulk of his active career with Ajax’s eternal rivals, Feyenoord, he was impressed with Heitinga’s progress. “Johnny improved this season. It’s unusual for a defender to win the Golden Shoe and it’s great to see he’s been working to improve himself.”

Heitinga will be presented with the award in a special September 1 ceremony, in Hilversum. And although he bid an emotional farewell to the Ajax faithful in the 4-1 victory over De Graafschap, more than two weeks ago, he’s still playing for the club and will continue to do so until the end of the season. The Amsterdam side will take on Heerenveen on May 1 (away) and 5 (at home), in the first round of the play-offs leading up to the ’08-’09 European Champions League.

Temporary farewell

And if they achieve their goal, who knows? They could even cross paths with Atlético. Not a prospect Heitinga would relish though. “I’m an Ajacied, always and forever. And someday I may return to play for my club again, as long as they will want me and the fans will be able to forgive this temporary farewell.”

[SydAjax]

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