Theo Janssen

[SE6Ajacied]

He got a lot of stick this season, but he was class against Heracles, yesterday. Just wanted to say that in his own thread.

K.

Yeah, just watched it and I thought so too. I've not seen that many games by my usual standards this season (I have a lot f DVD's to watch....) but from what I've seen I'm surprised at some of what has come his way.

[Kowalczyk]

Ajax and Vitesse are talking... Looks like Theo might go back home...

K.

[Cruijff]

On short (or long) term he will go back to Arnhem for sure, but I hope that will take at least 6 or 12 more months. Theo Janssen is one of the few players with a little bit experience.

[Orange14]

Theo Janssen is one of the few players with a little bit experience.

...and that's about all that can be said.

[Cruijff]

You've been bashing Theo for a year, he has been important several times. We would have lost a game like this without him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUZeNPsVAHI

[Orange14]

And I will continue in my low estimation of him because he's simply not good enough to play on this team and never was. I detailed on the other thread my ratings of him during the stretch run. He had two good matches, missed three others because of injury and simple was mediocre in the others. That is not a very good percentage on a team that wants to contest for the title each season. I respect your admiration for him and will consider this matter now closed as there is no way to reconcile our wildly differing views of his ability.

EDIT ADDED: I suspect that if he is transferred this summer it will be FdB's recognition that the club made a mistake in bringing him over last season. that's the only way that I can interpret this.

[aveslacker]

And I will continue in my low estimation of him because he's simply not good enough to play on this team and never was. I detailed on the other thread my ratings of him during the stretch run. He had two good matches, missed three others because of injury and simple was mediocre in the others. That is not a very good percentage on a team that wants to contest for the title each season. I respect your admiration for him and will consider this matter now closed as there is no way to reconcile our wildly differing views of his ability.

EDIT ADDED: I suspect that if he is transferred this summer it will be FdB's recognition that the club made a mistake in bringing him over last season. that's the only way that I can interpret this.

At the end of the day, I think he can be a very good player, but was never really a good fit for what Ajax does. He was much more effective when Anita played DM, but was still too stationary for the kind of three-man midfield that Ajax play. I hope this works out and I wish him all the best.

[Cruijff]

And I will continue in my low estimation of him because he's simply not good enough to play on this team and never was. I detailed on the other thread my ratings of him during the stretch run. He had two good matches, missed three others because of injury and simple was mediocre in the others. That is not a very good percentage on a team that wants to contest for the title each season. I respect your admiration for him and will consider this matter now closed as there is no way to reconcile our wildly differing views of his ability.

EDIT ADDED: I suspect that if he is transferred this summer it will be FdB's recognition that the club made a mistake in bringing him over last season. that's the only way that I can interpret this.

Correction: I don't admire Theo Janssen. I used to admire Jari Litmanen, Dennis Bergkamp and Johan Cruijff (missed the biggest part of Van Bastens carreer because I was heavily injured a few years before he got).

In my opinion Theo is a useful player for the current Ajax team, but he will not last for long, the Ajax ambitions are becoming bigger and in 2013 or 2014 we will have better, faster and more dynamic midfielders than Janssen. Last season the Ajax team wasn't marching on all the time, that's a big understatement. In several games Janssen seemed to slow and not completely fit. But I also blame others for his small participation in the first 5 months of the season. De Boer put him on a strange position and Eriksen was not playing good at all. In my opinion it was especially terrible that Eriksen took 70% of the corners in some games and wasted most of them. Both Christian and Theo really needed an excellent Vurnon Anita to be more dominant on the pitch. There were several games where Janssen had 3 touches in 25 minutes, most of the times that was caused by other Ajax players who did forget to involve Theo Janssen and his impressive left foot in the game.

If the teammates don't pass balls towards him he will become an anonymous player and then he is just one out of eleven. His big quality is in his left foot, so... help him to use that left foot!

[Kowalczyk]

Regional news network Omroep Gelderland (the province of Arnhem and Nijmegen) reports that Theo Janssen is Vitesse-bound and that he will be presented in Arnhem on Friday...

K.

[Orange14]

I've got my fingers crossed that this one goes through!

[Dubbel]

Don't hold your breath. According to Ajax, Vitesse has not even made a bid for Theo Janssen.

[rjf1]

Really had to admire the way he stood over van Bommel and verbally tore into him after some typical vB shenanigans during the Shield game.

[Blind3]

Ajax netwerk carrying an article in De Gelderlander , a mangled translation of which is below :

"First bid Vitesse Janssen, Besiktas and Marseille are also concrete '
August 20, 2012

Broadcasting Gelderland reports tonight that Vitesse Monday for the first bid at Ajax has filed for a transfer of Theo Janssen. The size of the amount is unknown. Vitesse has received competition from abroad. The Turkish Besiktas and French Olympique Marseille are prepared over a million euros to resign as a ransom for Janssen, know the regional station.

Janssen has however a preference for Vitesse, but will quickly clear.

[Blind3]

Latest on Theo transfer saga according toi translated AN item :

Janssen says other clubs off: "I want to Vitesse '

Opposite the newspaper, Theo Janssen know the other interested clubs now have canceled. "I want to Vitesse. This is an emotional choice and it feels like coming home. I want to return to Arnhem." The midfielder would be willing to take a substantial part of his current salary to make a transition possible.

[Orange14]

Only when I see a signed transfer agreement will I then celebrate!

[Blind3]

No celebration from me unless and until we are able to his any transfer fee to upgrade the club .

[SPL]

Clubs have agreed on a 600,000 euros transfer thats a loss of 2.6m euros in 1 year .He signs on Monday . Cannot say it he has been a great success but did help us win the title.

[SPL]

Well that was a bit too soon evidently there is a problem between the clubs! No idea what but Vitesse are owned by some dodgy Russian and I bet our miserly 600k does not come with a bank guarantee.Vitesse were hoping they will get him for free come January so who knows.

[Kowalczyk]

He signs on Monday . Cannot say it he has been a great success but did help us win the title.

Yeah, it's probably fair to phrase it like that. Not as good for us as we'd hoped, but he was actually quite good in the latter half of last season. He was important, sometimes.

Also, Theo is a character. I liked him. He don't give a shit about anyone or anything. I will miss him, in a weird way.

K.

[Blind3]

Agree with Ko. In a profession , pro athlete, rife with cliches , he is open and glib. I quite like that. Theo, Best of luck against everyone but Ajax .

[acab]

Well that was a bit too soon evidently there is a problem between the clubs! No idea what but Vitesse are owned by some dodgy Russian and I bet our miserly 600k does not come with a bank guarantee.Vitesse were hoping they will get him for free come January so who knows.

Not russian, georgian

[rjf1]

Once he got settled in (took a couple of months), he was a valuable member of the team and an important contributor to the championship run. My last impression of him was from the recent Cruijff Shield game where van Bommel had just pulled one of his usual dirty tackles and was stretched out on the ground. Theo straddled him so he couldn't move, leaned over, and just tore into him with a tongue lashing (wish I could have heard what he said -- I'm sure it wasn't pretty). Did my heart good to see it. To win a championship you need a player like that on your team.

[Cruijff]

Well, now we have Christian Poulsen.

[Kowalczyk]

Still not a 100% done deal... It appears that Vitesse suddenly wish to pay less than initially agreed.

This one may fall through... Not official just yet.

K.

[Kowalczyk]

*LOL*

I posted the above... ten seconds later: confirmation, done deal.

I think I actually triggered that.

K.