Amsterdam ArenA - The Atmosphere

[Kopite]

Since I've been studying in Holland this year I've had the chance to get properly involved with Dutch football, and Ajax in particular. My first experience of the Arena was in 2003 when I came as a Liverpool supporter for the Amsterdam Tournament. I was impressed with the stadium, and even though I was in the uitvak 'cage' it was still a nice place to watch a match.

Since I've been living in Holland this year I've managed to see Ajax at the Arena 3 times. First against Brondby was a good game, nice atmosphere, not exactly a 'European night' as I had come to expect as a Liverpool fan, but it was ok. The next game was against Feyenoord and I had big expectations of the 'classic'. The build up before the game made it feel like a cup final, but when it actualy came to the match it was a bit of an anti-climax. Compared with the English 'classic' of Liverool v Man U it was fairly tame, my section of the stadium didn't sing a single song the whole match. The F-Side were nothing like the 'Dutch Kop' that I had expected.

The last game I watched was this weekend against NAC...and to be honest the atmosphere was pathetic. The few hundred hardcore in Vak 410 were noisy as usual, but the F-Side were hardly involved the whole game, maybe only 2 half-arsed songs and lots of complaining. When NAC scored with 10 minutes left I expected things to heat up a bit as the crowd encouraged Ajax to go for a winner...but all round me people were walking out! At 1-1 with 10 minutes to go! Pathetic. This game mattered, Ajax needed the points. If the players had given up then the fans had totally deserted.

So what is it with the Arena? Is it a problem of the stadium, of Ajax fans or of Dutch fans? Have I just come at a bad time for the club?

[carcajou]

Since I've been studying in Holland this year I've had the chance to get properly involved with Dutch football, and Ajax in particular. My first experience of the Arena was in 2003 when I came as a Liverpool supporter for the Amsterdam Tournament. I was impressed with the stadium, and even though I was in the uitvak 'cage' it was still a nice place to watch a match.
[.....] This game mattered, Ajax needed the points. If the players had given up then the fans had totally deserted.

So what is it with the Arena? Is it a problem of the stadium, of Ajax fans or of Dutch fans? Have I just come at a bad time for the club?

From my experience, Dutch fans are there when the times are good, but they won't support their team in the bad moments (just like the French). And I totally second the fact that the F-Side is MUCH less noisy than Vak 410. As for the rest of the stadium, well.... People are like in front of a TV...Except less noisy. The atmosphere in the stadium has been my ONLY disappointment as a fan so far. But it can be GREAT when the game is good or dramatic.

[Arthur]

The 'problem' is that Ajaxfans have such high standards that they expect that they can sit back and be entertained instead of trying to help the team achieve a good result.
If Ajax play bad, it's because the players and coach are a**holes, not because they are not good enough and need all the support they can get.
It's a matter of culture, but the upside is that there's always a lot of pressure on the club to deliver. If the crowd were cheering no matter what happens, the club might get the idea that everything is alright instead of trying to improve ;)

[Kowalczyk]

Also, we've seen hours and hours and hours of crap football in the last two or three seasons. The Ajax fans have become cynical. We're a demanding lot. We demand trophies and superior football. If we don't get that, we start grumbling.

In general, Dutch crowds are not nearly as noisy as English/British crowds anyway.

But it's not always crap. Last Wednesday against Roda JC the atmopshere was awesome and the F-Side was very loud, too. It's possible and the atmopshere will improve when Ajax start performing better...

K.

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

Also, we've seen hours and hours and hours of crap football in the last two or three seasons. The Ajax fans have become cynical. We're a demanding lot. We demand trophies and superior football. If we don't get that, we start grumbling.

In general, Dutch crowds are not nearly as noisy as English/British crowds anyway.

But it's not always crap. Last Wednesday against Roda JC the atmopshere was awesome and the F-Side was very loud, too. It's possible and the atmopshere will improve when Ajax start performing better...K.

Wish i could tell when that will be, since were in a fucking roller coaster this season :huh:

Maybe things will heat up in th play-off's ( if we make' em)

[jamcocteau]

But it's not always crap. Last Wednesday against Roda JC the atmopshere was awesome and the F-Side was very loud, too. It's possible and the atmopshere will improve when Ajax start performing better...

K.

Ko, the atmosphere only picked up in the 94th minute to be honest, until then it was actually the same as yesterday. But have to say that after the equalizer and during extra time it was probably as good as I can remember in the ArenA.

Personally, I think the atmosphere everywhere is not what it was before all seated stadia and the advent of what I call the Nick Horny effect fan came into being. If I think back to games in the late 70s and throughout the 80s I would definitely say that games today no matter where they are held dont have that same feeling for me as they did then. I am not saying that we go back to the old style terracing but football as a spectator sport has never regained the passion and atmosphere it once had.

[Jeroen126]

Sure, our atmosphere is god awful. I can't speak for the f-side since my seat is nowhere near Zuid1, but i can speak for myself. We are used to good football, and when we get a crap game, sure, it's ok. But we've had a couple of crap years now and it just starts anooying you to the point you don'treally feel like cheering these so-so players on.
It also has a lot to do with the change of stadium, at De Meer, the atmosphere WAS good.

[ferry]

Sure, our atmosphere is god awful. I can't speak for the f-side since my seat is nowhere near Zuid1, but i can speak for myself. We are used to good football, and when we get a crap game, sure, it's ok. But we've had a couple of crap years now and it just starts anooying you to the point you don'treally feel like cheering these so-so players on.
It also has a lot to do with the change of stadium, at De Meer, the atmosphere WAS good.

Partially I agree with you and Ko. I agree on the fact that we're not exactly spoiled the last couple of years. Usually the atmosphere is pretty good on European football nights or in the games against Feyenoord or PSV. For the other games we expect a win. Actually, we expect to win with creative and attacking football.

On the other hand I refuse to state that everything was so much better in De Meer. In the old stadium I was seated in "vak D", on the long side in the outermost corner near the F-side. The F-side was the only side making a lot of noise during the games but there were a lot of them in a small stadium.

The big games were held in the Olympic Stadium . The atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium was "always" good. (I remember a terrible match against Volendam where the atmosphere wasn't that good But the clash with Bayern Munich compensated everything, the best Ajax game I've seen and the best Stadium atmosphere I've ever experienced!)

I don't know what's wrong in the Arena. It's like people are embarrassed for each other. I noticed that during European games, when not all season ticket holders are on their 'own' seat, the atmosphere is often much better.

[SE6Ajacied]

Well, I was in the F-Side which does make a difference but I have to say the atmosphere against Inter would be hard to beat anywhere. In general though and in common with other countries, certainly here in England I think the atmosphere has suffered with the advent of the modern all seater stadiums. Although I never went to De Meer or the Olympic Stadium for instance, you can just feel the atmosphere when you watch some of the old games on TV.

Blackpool beating the hated Tranmere 4-0 in the league cup game second leg back in '92 will take some beating though :cheer: (we were 3-0 down from the first game from memory.....)

[Dubbel]

I believe you've hit a sore spot here. It is true that the Arena is known for it's theatre like atmosphere and audience. In the Meer it was better but still nothing like you would experience at LFC.

The atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium was "always" good. (I remember a terrible match against Volendam where the atmosphere wasn't that good

Let me guess... was it the away-game that was played in Amsterdam that ended in 0-0 and where we pretty much lost the title that year. With an annoying Pe Muhren as speaker?

[Jeroen126]

I'd still like to add that the atmosphere also annoys me. It has been getting better with the rise of vak 410, but to be honest, the whole ultra thing doesn't work for me.

Only thing we can do to change this is all sing. I tried this once, within a couple of seconds 3 rather big blokes were telling me that being this noisy wasn't amusing to them... I ended up missing some minutes of football :D

[aveslacker]

I thought the atmosphere at the Ajax-PSV match a few years ago was very good, but that was before I hung out with these guys:

[ferry]

I believe you've hit a sore spot here. It is true that the Arena is known for it's theatre like atmosphere and audience. In the Meer it was better but still nothing like you would experience at LFC.

The atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium was "always" good. (I remember a terrible match against Volendam where the atmosphere wasn't that good

Let me guess... was it the away-game that was played in Amsterdam that ended in 0-0 and where we pretty much lost the title that year. With an annoying Pe Muhren as speaker?

That's the one! I didn't even remember that it was an away game. No wonder that the atmosphere was poor... :hypocrite:

[Kopite]

I agree with the comments about all-seater stadiums, its never the same to watch a football game sat on your arse. I like going to away games in England cos the away section normaly stays on their feet the whole match, ignoring the seats totally. I'd love to see limited terracing again, just one section behind the goal for the hardcore, and maybe the away section too. It doesn't have to be dangerous if its controlled and it would do a lot for the atmosphere.

I think the Arena suffers a bit from the moat seperating the pitch from the fans, it means that even the first row is a fairly long way from the pitch, nothing like my favorite English stadiums where the fans are within spitting distance (not that I would do this of course!) of the players.

Having said that, I've been to big all-seater stadiums with much more atmosphere than the Arena. A couple of games at the Millenium Staidum spring to mind, and they were only Charity Shield matches. It is possible to have a big stadium with a big atmosphere, so the blame has to be with the fans. I guess Ajax fans really do only sing when they're winning

[Kowalczyk]

It is possible to have a big stadium with a big atmosphere, so the blame has to be with the fans.

Yes. Ajax fans tend to blame the ArenA, but come on: I've seen many games where the atmosphere was absolutely electric. European games against Rangers, Vfl Bochum (where Ajax went 0-2 down, but then scored four goals in 10 minutes' time), a few editions of the Classic (including one that we lost 3-4), the Spring 2003 home game against PSV...

If we want it, and if the day is right, the atmosphere can be great. And it is, generally, quite good on Champions League nights. Nothing wrong with it.

But during the average league game, especially when Ajax are shit and the crowd lulled to sleep by the first sunrays of the year, it can be absolutely, totally and utterly silent.

I guess Ajax fans really do only sing when they're winning

Yes, but that's not necessarily a thing I dislike about Ajax culture. We are a demanding lot. Atmopshere is a reward for good football. The fans just won't settle for less.

In my opinion that's quite a nice aspect of Ajax fan culture. Sometimes I see a German game, for example, where the fans keep banging those stupid drums all the time. Or a Holland (Oranje) game... Holland fans are not very loud either, but what I hate so much about them is the fact that they never seem to be gutted about defeat. Even when we'd just f*cked up qualification for the World Cup 2002 they were still doing the conga.

I find that quite daft, to be honest. At Ajax the players know what to expect: a crowd that demands a great football team. If they are shit, we will be shit, too (and treat them like shit, in many cases). If a player can't handle that, he should join a less ambitious club. And if that makes Ajax 'cold' - so be it.

K.

[aveslacker]

I agree with Ko. One of the things about Ajax and Ajax fans is that they never settle for average. And while I get frustrated that they often rush to judgment (I remember many people questioning why we bought Huntelaar), I appreciate the fact that the fans expect excellence in the form of a team that plays with class, flair, and a certain amount of arrogance on the pitch. That's part of the reason why I root for Ajax and not, say, Juve.

[DanK]

The Ajax fans pay good money to be entertained. Sometimes they are a bit harsh on some of the performances or individual players, but as has been said as an Ajax fan we need to be entertained, its what Ajax is all about.

I compare it to music concerts. You pay good money, if the concert is great the atmosphere is brilliant, if its rubbish we let the band know. Hey if your crap and we KNOW you can do better than lift your game!

[Kowalczyk]

I am looking forward to the first home game of the season.

Vak 410 have moved from the north to the south curve and are now at the same end as the F-Side (South, 1st tier). I think the 410 boys can bring us, old hands, back to life as far as noise is concerned. This might work very well.

K.

[Van der Vaart]

SANTOS FUTEBOL CLUBE from Brazil

[Blind3]

The best atmosphere I've experienced at the ArenA was definitely Feb. 8, 2004. That match against PSV , one vs. two , was amazing. The knife edge tension was something I'll never forget. I've really enjoyed my 14 matches at the ArenA. Met some great folks along the way.

[Over Pasanens Head]

I am looking forward to the first home game of the season.

Vak 410 have moved from the north to the south curve and are now at the same end as the F-Side (South, 1st tier). I think the 410 boys can bring us, old hands, back to life as far as noise is concerned. This might work very well.

K.

Absolutely great - this wonderful move was put together by the ever thoughtful staff at Ajax without even having the common courtesy to even consult with the fans in Vak424/425. So the vast majority of the Brits in Vak424/425 have moved to the other end of the stadium where the atmosphere will be nearly as good as attending a church garden party. However, I am all right jack as I got a move downstairs to the F-Side to keep Ko and friends in order.

[bryan]

Best atmosphere I've experienced in the Arena was Holland-Ireland in September 2000 (match finished 2-2).

[MIKE_ZUID2 (ASR_AFCA)]

I am looking forward to the first home game of the season.

Vak 410 have moved from the north to the south curve and are now at the same end as the F-Side (South, 1st tier). I think the 410 boys can bring us, old hands, back to life as far as noise is concerned. This might work very well.

K.

I am looking forward to that as well. I expect it will take some matches to get used to the new situation, but after that it will be booming!
First match will be a busy one! Take a good look!!

[MIKE_ZUID2 (ASR_AFCA)]

Someone might be reading!!
AZ Alkmaar will make a terrace for their away supporters (750 NO seaters!!!)

[bryan]

Vak 410 have moved into the F-Side?

That's a shame. It was always cool having two unique groups.