Ajaxtalk

Filipe is kicking some major butt in Brazil U-20... and what have you.

Ajax players in other national teams than the Dutch? This is the place.

Filipe and Brazil U-20 have lost their last game at the South-American championship for U-20 teams to Argentina (2-1). The result did not matter anymore, as it was already impossible for Brazil to overtake winners Columbia. The tourney ended disappointingly for our man Filipe though: he once again started, but was sent off with a double yellow.

Interestingly enough, both Brazil and Argentina brought on a substitute who was linked was Ajax in the South-American press last week: Renato and Barrientos, respectively.

The World Cup for U-20 teams will be played in Holland this summer. Ajacieden Ryan Babel, Hedwiges Maduro, Urby Emanuelson and Kenneth Vermeer will almost certainly be selected for Holland, Filipe is a regular in Brazil U-20 and the same goes for Rachid Tiberkanine in Morocco U-20. The draw for the World Cup was yesterday. Each group will be based in one city - and the KNVB selected some of the smaller grounds for the tournament.

Group A (Parkstad Limburg Stadium, Kerkrade)
The Netherlands
Japan
Benin
Australia

Group B (Galgenwaard Stadium, Utrecht)
Turkey
China
Ukraine
Panama

Group C (Vijverberg Stadium, Doetinchem)
Spain
Morocco
Honduras
Chile

Group D (Arke Stadium, Enschede)
Argentina
United States
Germany
Egypt

Group E (Willem II Stadium, Tilburg
Colombia
Italy
Syria
Canada

Group F (Univé Stadium, Emmen)
Brazil
Nigeria
South Korea
Switzerland

Some thoughts:
- the U.S. seem to be in the toughest group of the lot, but you never know which countries are the strongest on a U-20 level (not necessarily the same as at the 'big' World Cup).
- I was kind of planning to watch a few Holland games, but they're in flippin' Kerkrade, so forget it. What's this all about then? Why don't we play somewhere in the middle of the country?

For the fixtures and stuff, check http://www.fifa.com/ And don't forget to read this interview with Marco van Basten!
http://www.fifa.com/en/news/feature/0,1 ... eid=105575

K.

No Sweden, Norway, Denmark or Finland, but Benin, Panama, Honduras and Syria.

:whaasup: :eusa_doh:

Kowalczyk schreef:The World Cup for U-20 teams will be played in Holland this summer. Ajacieden Ryan Babel, Hedwiges Maduro, Urby Emanuelson and Kenneth Vermeer will almost certainly be selected for Holland.
K.

Ryan Babel and Maduro have just been selected in Marco van Basten's pre-selection for the Holland national team.

I think the U-20 side is more likely to be where Maduro ends up.That way, he gets a better opportunity to play.As for Babel, I wouldn't be shocked if he got brought on as a sub v. Armenia. Obviously, Romania will be a BIG(!!) game,with as many healthy first choice players as possible starting. But, a second fixture just four days later could be just the time to inject size, skill, and pace..i.e. Babel.

As the qualifiers for WC2006 are approaching the teams are gathering for training sessions and build up to the games.

Sweden are currently preparing for their qualifier against Bulgaria in Stockholm on saturday. Rosenberg is in the squad and trained a full session today. Apparently some finishing together with Henrik Larsson (could be useful).

After the Bulgaria game Sweden head off to Hungaria to face Hungary on wednesday.

It is not likely that Rosenberg will see any action, at least not in the starting 11. Perhaps he will starr in the end of games if Sweden are trailing or seek to finish the game. He could be given the chance from the start if Zlatan receives a yellow card and get suspended.

It is interesting how the media has painted Rosenberg's start with Ajax here in Sweden. Once a bad game he has been shortly mentioned as "not getting much done". As for the games with goals he has been haussed up to be the next big thing. I don't think the Swedish media in general are especially critical of national team players though.

Somehow I don't think we are all as convinced though (Manneken Pis?).

Hopefully the national break and perhaps some minutes on the pitch can boost Markus' confidence and that he'll come back to score more goals for us.

Is Manucharyan healthy ??? i would like to get a glimpse of him when Armenia play the Orange this weekend.

Armenia vs The Netherlands is 16 minutes underway in Yerevan, Armenia and Ajax's Edgar Manucharyan has just been replaced. He picked up a knock and couldn't play on...

Must be a disappointment for him...

K.

This is a spicy one... Morocco (Nourdin Boukhari) and Tunisia (Hatem Trabelsi) face each other in a direct battle (play-off) for World Cup qualification...

K.

Kowalczyk schreef:This is a spicy one... Morocco (Nourdin Boukhari) and Tunisia (Hatem Trabelsi) face each other in a direct battle (play-off) for World Cup qualification...

K.

I wonder who will dominate the other........... Oh no I don't. Hatem will.

Rosenbergt got the call up for Sweden's WC squad today. I think he will see very little playing time though.

Per schreef:Rosenberg got the call up for Sweden's WC squad today. I think he will see very little playing time though.

Yeah... Pretty stiff competition there. I haven't really followed Sweden, but I reckon the hierarchy of strikers would be:

1. Zlatan
2. Henke Larsson
3. Rosenberg
4. Allbäck

Or maybe even Allbäck #3 and Rosenberg #4? He's not too close to the starting eleven; that's for sure.

K.

Yup, like you say, it's Allbäck or Rosenberg.

Tehy actually decided to also go for Mattias Jonson and Elmander, so I'd say the four of them will battle it out for some playing time. For some reason, Jonson always manages to cop some time on the pitch in big events.

Per schreef:Yup, like you say, it's Allbäck or Rosenberg.

Tehy actually decided to also go for Mattias Jonson and Elmander, so I'd say the four of them will battle it out for some playing time. For some reason, Jonson always manages to cop some time on the pitch in big events.

If Elmander get's any playing time in the WC, I will loose all faith in my yellow and blue neighbours. He has by far been the most dissapointing and overrated of the international "stars" in the Danish league this season. Allbäck on the other is in great form and should perform well. I still see Rosenberg in front of him though. The best Swede out of the Danish league is by far Linderoth. He's only in his mid-twenties and plays like a friggin machine. He's a major reason why FCK won the championship. Look for him to tear up the German pitches this summer.

Kowalczyk schreef:

Per schreef:Rosenberg got the call up for Sweden's WC squad today. I think he will see very little playing time though.

Yeah... Pretty stiff competition there. I haven't really followed Sweden, but I reckon the hierarchy of strikers would be:

1. Zlatan
2. Henke Larsson
3. Rosenberg
4. Allbäck

Or maybe even Allbäck #3 and Rosenberg #4? He's not too close to the starting eleven; that's for sure.

K.

Rosenberg was quoted in Danish papers yesterday for saying he didn't expect to start in front until Larsson retires.

afckeeper95 schreef: If Elmander get's any playing time in the WC, I will loose all faith in my yellow and blue neighbours. He has by far been the most dissapointing and overrated of the international "stars" in the Danish league this season.

Interesting that you say that. From Swedish media I had the feeling that he has been good, and that he was considered one of the best in the Danish league.

jakobg schreef:

afckeeper95 schreef: If Elmander get's any playing time in the WC, I will loose all faith in my yellow and blue neighbours. He has by far been the most dissapointing and overrated of the international "stars" in the Danish league this season.

Interesting that you say that. From Swedish media I had the feeling that he has been good, and that he was considered one of the best in the Danish league.

Then the Swedish media needs to view some tape..

IMO Elmander's underachievement this season is one of the reasons why Brødnby didn't win the championship.

Originally posted in the wrong thread:

afckeeper95 schreef:An update on the stealth-like existence of Michael Krohn-Dehli.

Michael Krohn-Dehli has been training with the Danish national team in camp this past week on the invitation of Morten Olsen, who brings in (in his mind) future national players to practice with the squad and get to know the system, culture, staff etc. of the national team. An internship programme for football players of sorts. There are usually two or three young players and they leave the squad again on the day of the fixture.

Dehli was asked to stay in the squad as back-up for the right-wing position. Dennis Rommedahl (Charlton, ex-psv), who has owned the position under coach Olsen, has not been able to get over his injury and replacement Peter Lovenkrans (Shalke 04, ex-Rangers) was sub-par in his performance against Northern Ireland (0-0) last night. Interestingly, Michael Krohn-Dehli's de facto call up for the national team means that another Ajax acquaintance, Michael Silberbauer of FC Copenhagen, will not be staying with the squad for the mid-week fixture.

Rommedahl's injury would normally mean a call-up to Kenneth Perez, but with his retirement it seems that one Ajacied's retirement could mean the beginning of a national career for another.

Michael Krohn-Dehli ended a good week by making his national team debut replacing Dennis Rommedahl in the last 15 minutes of Denmark's 4-0 cruise over Lichtenstein.

Our Legend Jari Litmanen scored the first goal for his country against Kaszahistan. The finnish national team has had a somewhat good start, with a little luck they could be the Latvia of 2004. Man would i love too see Litmanen play in a mayor tournament :xyxthumbs: :yes:

Vermaelen played a whole game against Poland, but it was not his best match... I don't mean that he was very bad (the only goal in this game was van Buyten's fault), but the truth is that Belgium played crap that day.