New Players for Ajax

[Cedric]

Trying isn't good enough.

It's still better than doing nothing. That's a good step for this Ajax (and for Jol, it seems...). Be positive!

Meanwhile he did find the time to find some flashy ball juggler and a washed up striker.

I'm not sure the recruitment of a defender suffered from the transfers of these players.

The priorities were obviously wrong.

It seems so. Because if it was their first priority they really failed big time. At least they fulfilled my priority number 2 (a striker), and if this Kerlon is something more than a "seal", my priority number 3 (an offensive midfielder). Nothing to get too excited of course, but we have seen worse not so long ago. Always look at the bright side...

[bluedaddy19]

He failed to get one. Trying isn't good enough. Meanwhile he did find the time to find some flashy ball juggler and a washed up striker.

erm... the "flashy ball juggler" is a top level talent that has struggled a little with injuries and could be a huge coup in the end, both on the field and in the wallet, and the "washed up striker" bagged 38 goals and 15 assists over the last 3 seasons in the bundesliga

[aveslacker]

I really wish we could have gotten a solid defender. As it is, I give the front office a C for their efforts in the transfer window. Ultimately, however, I believe that this Ajax team is, like last year's, the most talented team in the eredivisie. The problem is that they don't play as a team but as a collection of individuals. If Jol can get them playing as a team, then we will win the eredivisie. It's that simple, imo.

Every team has its strengths and weaknesses. Ajax has the best player in the eredivisie, probably the best strikeforce in the eredivisie, one of the top midfields - if not the top - in the eredivisie, and a defense that while obviously not the best in the eredivisie is nonetheless pretty good. That should be enough to win the eredivisie if Jol is able to use our strengths to cover our weaknesses.

I hope.

[rjf1]

Glad to see you master some basic biology principles, but what it has to do with the fact that Jol is supposed to be a kamikaze who only tries to sign defenders on the cheap when it's too late?

It means he (or they) failed to deliver on the most important task of the off-season -- and "if he would have done this," or "if he would have done that," doesn't count for a thing.

He failed to get the defenders he wanted, so he's a fool who didn't even tried to get one ?

Well, the fact that he failed to get any defenders of quality at all -- when that was the most critical task of the off-season -- leaves me wondering how hard he tried and how much importance he gave to it. What I see is indifference or incompetence when it comes to the most important task at hand -- and all the ifs in the world don't change that.

[Cedric]

It looks like only the end result counts then. Let's say it looks too much like the PSV philosophy for me.

[bluedaddy19]

i still say its an improvement over buying another wielart

this way, toby gets experience and we still have money to spend on a good player... not one more piece of driftwood to get rid of in 6 months

[afcajax73]

i still say its an improvement over buying another wielart

this way, toby gets experience and we still have money to spend on a good player... not one more piece of driftwood to get rid of in 6 months

Exactly...

its not as easy as people are making out here.. all the defenders that we were looking at and some we went for moved to bigger clubs, the dutch league has no pull for anyone with some potential any more, because teams like AC Milan, or Chelsea snap them up quickly and at younger ages.

The main thing is, we strengthened in some of the areas which we needed to and didnt panic buy. Im reasonably happy with the transfer window for us, and im sure with more playing time, the younger defenders can improve.

[bryan]

Younger defenders improve when they have an older, more experienced defender along side them to learn from.

[bluedaddy19]

Younger defenders improve when they have an older, more experienced defender along side them to learn from.

what? they magically don't improve without an experienced partner?

besides, no matter who toby is paired with, it's a more experienced partner :D

[bryan]

Maldini learned to defend from Baresi, for example.

[aztattooedsean777]

I really wanted Onyewu to come to Ajax. I do not know what he was thinking going to AC Milan as I don't see how he will get any playing time there.

[aveslacker]

I really wanted Onyewu to come to Ajax. I do not know what he was thinking going to AC Milan as I don't see how he will get any playing time there.

You're not alone in feeling that way. I feel that way too.

[afcajax73]

saw altidore again at the weekend, im so so glad we didnt get him in the end. he looked so slow and lazy, maybe its just the pace of the english game, but i still think we dodged a bullet here

[Orange14]

saw altidore again at the weekend, im so so glad we didnt get him in the end. he looked so slow and lazy, maybe its just the pace of the english game, but i still think we dodged a bullet here

He is a work in progress and is only 19 years old. I saw him regularly in league play prior to his transfer abroad and on the US NT. I personally think he made the wrong decision initially and should have moved to the Eredivisie to gain experience. there was no way he would start at Villareal where he could have started and gained valuable on ball skills at a mid-table Dutch team. I think he will turn into a solid player but probably not the kind of striker who can be counted on for 20 goals a season.

[bluedaddy19]

saw altidore again at the weekend, im so so glad we didnt get him in the end. he looked so slow and lazy, maybe its just the pace of the english game, but i still think we dodged a bullet here

slow and lazy?



if you saw hull this weekend and felt compelled to downgrade altidore instead of hunt, marney, olifanjana and even lange jan... well, okay then

sorry, i watched it too, and im not sure how you could single him out this way from that match

and that's after setting aside that we don't play in the prem, we play in the eredivisie

[afcajax73]

well we werent in for those other players.. with the exception of JVoH who we already know is past it..

but yeah he looked slow and lazy..

[bluedaddy19]

but yeah he looked slow and lazy..

muh huh... and ice cream looks warm and beefy

in any event, he ain't coming here any time soon, so you can rest easy

[afcajax73]

thankfully not.. but i guess thats just my opinion. i just dont feel he has what it takes to be a success in the premier league, and probably not spain..(atleast not up till now) as said before hes a bit of a work in progress.

[ZoefdeHaas]

Boulahrouz said he wouldn't mind playing for Ajax under Jol (who respects a lot).

Let's get him.

[Van basten]

Ajax Chase Hamburg Midfielder Piotr Trochowski - Report
Goal.com


A report in Dutch football weekly Voetbal International suggests that Amsterdam powerhouse Ajax are considering making a move for Hamburger SV midfielder Piotr Trochowski.

Current Ajax coach Martin Jol is known to be a keen admirer of the German international and is reportedly eager to lure the 25-year-old away from HSV this winter.

It remains to be seen though whether Trochowski is interested in leaving the Bundesliga for the Dutch Eredivisie. The versatile attacking midfielder has also attracted the interest from a number of Premier League sides.

Trochowski's current HSV deal is due to expire in the summer of 2011, but Hamburg could be tempted to let go of the German international if an offer in the region of €10 million comes in.

[Neefkens]

It's just a joke from one of the soccersites. It's not true.

[Amol]

We signed the young Korean (Hyun Jun Suk) who was on trial for the past few weeks.

[gordonvandekamp]

We signed the young Korean (Hyun Jun Suk) who was on trial for the past few weeks.

Sounds like he impressed, he's quite young too and a forward (the new Suarez? ). Contract starts Jan 1 and is for six months with an option to extend it a year from the end date. Anyone else know anything about him?

[Amol]

Actually we signed him for a year and half starting this jan. We have the one year option after that. Apparently he's a tall and strong CF.

[Kowalczyk]

We signed the young Korean (Hyun Jun Suk) who was on trial for the past few weeks.

I would expect Ajax to add him to the Young Ajax squad, for starters. I don't think he'll be an immediate first teamer.

It's a remarkable story, this. Reportedly, he simply dropped by as a tourist, asking for a chance to prove himself. Wonderful story.

K.