Ajax friendlies

[Kowalczyk]

I'm not sure if this means that Ajax now recognise that they can't beat top-class football teams anymore

This can't be it. Firstly, Ajax do regularly beat top-class football teams (... at the Amsterdam Tournament). Secondly, Ajax do not organise the tourney. It is organised by the International Event Partnership (IEP) and Ajax are invited as the 'home side' each season, but as far as I know Ajax have no influence on the roster of the tournament.

or that the tournament has lost its pulling power after players got sent off and banned in the tournament in the last couple of years. Ferguson said that he would never bring Manchester United back to the tournament after Rooney was sent off and earned himself a three match ban in the real world.

Could be, could be, but hey: the only club to have said that they will never come to the tournament again is Manchester United. And the whole world knows that Ferguson is a bit of a twat. I don't think the 'red card incident' will kill the tournament.

The reason why I believe this year's roster is not top drawer is much simpler: ticket sales have been pretty disappointing for the 2006 and 2005 editions. Ajax supporters generally feel that the tournament is too expensive and they don't really care about it, especially when Ajax are playing Champions League qualifiers one week later.

Five years ago the tournament almost always had 35,000 or 40,000 spectactors on day 1, and sold out completely on day 2. In 2005 and 2006 this (pretty suddenly) plummeted, with 22,000 on the night of Ajax vs Inter as the lowpoint. The tournament's break-even point is quite high, so I think ticket sales have forced them to invite 'cheaper' participants, plain simple.

Luckily, the average Dutch football supporter feels that a very mediocre English side is 'more attractive' than a top side from another country, for some mysterious reason, so I think Newcastle United will attract some folk.

Personally, I want to play teams at the Amsterdam Tournament that we don't normally play. Atletico Madrid sounds very interesting to me. Arsenal and Inter don't, for the simple reason that we played more than once in recent editions of the Champions League. I hope they'll invite HSV (Van der Vaart!) would be nice.

K.

[ajaxgunner]

A conflicting report from AS - says it will be Atletico, Arsenal, and Milan. Probably wrong, as Arsenal are hosting their own tournament at the end of July.

I agree, Newcastle could bring over a good crowd and a nice change from Arsenal, but they could be playing in the Intertoto Cup around the same time.

[Van basten]

Arsenal have been confirmed as one of the sides who will play in the prestigious Amsterdam Tournament this summer.

The four-team tournament played at the home of Dutch titans Ajax is one of the most high-profile of the pre-season competitions.

Manchester United won the eighth edition of the tournament last summer, but it is Arsene Wenger's Arsenal who will represent the Premiership this year.

Italian outfit Lazio and Spanish side Atletico Madrid make up the competition which will take place at the start of August.

"Ajax first plays Atletico Madrid (on 2nd August) and on Saturday (4th August) the Dutch Cup winners will encounter Arsenal in the Amsterdam ArenA," read a statement on Ajax's official website.

[ZoefdeHaas]

I'm planning to watch the Atletico, I'm bored of Arsenal..

Tickets start on June 16

[Philippe]

I am glad we won't play those fascists Mussolini fans from Lazio

[Blind3]

I have to admit the Nazio element of S.S. Lazio kind of lost me , and the plot , when I saw fans agreeing with Paolo DiCanio's " I'm not a racist , I'm a facist " quote. I'm just not politically astute enough to understand the difference, I guess.

[Kowalczyk]

Arsenal... again...!?!?

Come on...

Atletico Madrid is nice, though. I'll buy a ticket for day 1. Not for day 2.

Or maybe I'll just watch TV. Whatever.

Best friendly of the pre-season campaign: Go Ahead Eagles away!

K.

[Kowalczyk]

As for the fans of Nazio Roma: I hope the police will go for a zero tolerance policy when it comes to racist abuse. These folks have a reputation. No Nazi salute or other fascist crap at the ArenA.

K.

[Philippe]

I understand and share your concern about lazio fans. There is no chance to avoid mussolini flags and fascist gestures with those. It was bloody stupid to invite them in the first place.

[Kowalczyk]

I understand and share your concern about lazio fans. There is no chance to avoid mussolini flags and fascist gestures with those. It was bloody stupid to invite them in the first place.

I think I kind of agree.

By the way (you are probably aware of this): the Amsterdam Tournament is not Ajax's tournament. It is organized by the International Events Partnership (IEP). Ajax are only a participant. They have to be invited by the IEP, just like every other participating team. So it's not that Ajax invited Lazio... For the record.

K.

[Philippe]

But it is unlikely there could ever be an Amsterdam tournament without Ajax. Therefore Ajax could have said not to lazio.

[Kowalczyk]

Attention, ladies and gentlemen...

Ajax.nl has just announced that both fixtures on day 1 (Thursday 02 August) of the Amsterdam Tournament have been made 30 minutes earlier. Arsenal and Lazio Roma will now play each other at 18:30 CET. The new kick-off time for Ajax vs Atlético Madrid is 20:45 CET.

Kick-off times for day 2 (Saturday 04 August) will stay as-is.

We have updated the pre-season matches index on Ajax USA accordingly.

K.

[ally7th]

did anyone go to the rangers game?

[Van der Vaart]

rangers game was yesterday

[ally7th]

ajax rangers was tuesday did anyone else go to ibrox- glasgow

what did you think of the game?

[Kowalczyk]

I did not go to the game, but watched it in its entirety on TV and wrote the match report for Ajax USA... (as you may or may not know: this English Zone on Ajax Talk kind of is the discussion forum for the Ajax USA community). Check it out:

http://www.ajax-usa.com/matches/m07-08/ ... ibrox.html

K.

[pizza 5]

My God.Humbled by bloody Falkirk.It could be a long and painfull season.

[ZoefdeHaas]

Cant take one bad friendly and say the whole season will be bad. Barcelona even had hard times in Scotland.

[Kowalczyk]

Sheffield FC, founded 24 October 1857 and acknowledged by FIFA as the world's oldest football club, are celebrating their 150th anniversary and have announced a friendly against Ajax at Sheffield's Bramall Lane Stadium on Sunday 13 April. The report on Sheffield FC.com is HERE and there's another report here on the Sports Illustrated website. Sounds reliable, but Ajax.nl did not confirm it yet - and as far as I know we're playing FC Groningen on 13 April... Weird... Will the KNVB re-schedule a pretty big league game for a friendly in the U.K.? I can hardly believe it.

Would be a very nice one, though...

K.

[Cedric]

I saw that yesterday on an unofficial website : it was not confirmed at the time, Ajax has already a game planned for this day, and they were expecting to see Jaap Stam! I thought it was bullshit but no, it seems.

Maybe they are speaking of a youth team ? (picture) They expect a "big squad" though...

[Kowalczyk]

... and they were expecting to see Jaap Stam!

Speaking of Jaap Stam: his 'farewell' game will be played on 26 July 2008 at the newly built ground of FC Zwolle (the club where he started his career). Ajax will take on an all-star team of former team-mates of Jaap Stam's. Tickets will go on sale via this website on Monday 18 February, 12:00 CET.

K.

[jock cloggie]

any news on friendlies for next season???

[jock cloggie]

just been on sky news that we are to play sunderland on the 3 aug 3pm ko

[saddlerian]

just been on sky news that we are to play sunderland on the 3 aug 3pm ko

SH*T!!!! I don't get back from Poland until August 5th.....still, there's always the CL game.....IF we qualify!!!

[Kowalczyk]

Pre-season fixture list...

http://english.ajax.nl/web/show/id=1548 ... ntid=66580

(more may follow)

K.