Rafaël van der Vaart

[Kowalczyk]

Good game for Holland against England, suspended for Sunday's NAC game and... 22 years old today!

Happy birthday, Raffy. I must admit: you've been working your balls off in recent weeks. Keep it up.

Check today's training report on Ajax.nl to see how Radio Noord-Holland presented him Raffy a birthday cake after training. He shared it with the supporters who were observing training.

http://www.ajax.nl/show/id=1322/contentid=39009

K.

[ajaxnumberone]

Oh Happy Birthday to Raffy, hello to all Ajacied fans here. I'm back !!

[muffin_]

Could anyone of you from Holland tell me how Raffy is playing (and behaving) lately? He was my favourite player in recent years, but in the games i've seen in the past two seasons (mostly Champions league, because Eredivisie isnt broadcasted in Slovenia...) he was crap. I also read a lot about his disciplinary problems (vs. Ibrahimovic, for instance). So what is his form lately? Will he leave ArenA in the summer?

[WP_Legend]

he is crap!

[Manneken Pis]

From ITV.com.... :Iloveme is leaving (no tears here...hope we get a good price)

Van der Vaart to leave Ajax
Breaking News, Monday March 14 2005
Rafael van der Vaart has made up his mind to leave Ajax at the end of the season.

The Dutch winger, who missed Sunday's game against NEC Nijmegen because of a bruised wrist he picked up in training, told Het Parool newspaper it was time to move on.

"My contract runs for another season after this one, but I want a new challenge. And it's best for the club too if I leave Ajax next summer, they will get a nice price for me then," he said.

The 22-year-old is in his sixth season in Amsterdam, but after an excellent start seemed to lose his way and has also had the captain's armband taken away.

Under interim coaches Ruud Krol and Tonnie Bruins Slot Van der Vaart has been benched twice.

Krol told AD Sportwereld: "Rafael was for long a player who made the difference and scored a lot but how long ago is that? Van der Vaart is one of our players, just like the rest."

[aveslacker]

That's just TERRIBLE news. X'C X'C X'C X'C X'C X'C X'C

Any one want to hazard a guess as to how much the club will get from him/where he will go?

I'll say perhaps 10 million Euros, and he might go to England (Man U could use some youth at CM, or perhaps Everton?) or Spain (Valencia? Don't see Barca wanting him). Of course it wouldn't be bad if Chel$ea came in and paid waaaay too much for him - that way Ajax would get some good money. They do have a habit of buying players for lots of money and then not playing them too much (Kezman). Plus, unlike some Italian clubs (emmm, Roma, perhaps?), Chelsea could actually pay Ajax with real money, as opposed to Monopoly money.

[Manneken Pis]

Any one want to hazard a guess as to how much the club will get from him/where he will go?

Given the family conection with Spain that would be my guess.
Maybe somethings already on the go and hence the "announcement" to the press.

[The Purple Cow]

I honestly can't imagine who would buy him.

Certainly no club in Italy would have him, and I can't imagine any major Spanish club would be interested. Maybe Barca because of the Ajax connection, but that seems a bit far-fetched to me. Madrid love to spend money on over-rated has-been's like Ronaldo, Beckham and Figo - but Raf doesn't have the marketing pulling power that Real require from new players.

For all his big bucks, Jose Mourinho doesn't waste much money, I can't see him wanting Fat Raf. Man U. don't buy crap footballers unless they are goalkeepers. Arsenal - naaah!I can't see Raf's work ethic fitting in at Highbury, Wenger has enough on his hands trying to make a decent player out of Van Persie.

Possibly one of those English clubs with more money than sense would have him, Middlesborough, Newcastle, or Manchester City. Something like that.

But most likely of all?

Glasgow Rangers - you mark my words....

[Liberty]

Maybe he will go to France.

[Over Pasanens Head]

Do we assume from the timing of this proclaimation that his royal highness knew about the appointment of Danny Blind and knows that he won't get a very favourable (for favourable read crawling, arse licking) reception from our new coach.

Was his latest injury caused by repetitive strain and does it prove what we have all thought of him this last couple of seasons in that he has been a complete and utter w****r?

[SoCal Ajacied]

WOW according to www.vi.nl , guus hiddink is offering VDV to join him at P$V !!! ...well anywhere as long as it's not chelski!
i'm sad to see him go since i'm still hoping he'll develop into something...
:nooo:

[Kowalczyk]

WOW according to www.vi.nl , guus hiddink is offering VDV to join him at P$V !!! ...well anywhere as long as it's not chelski!

Anywhere as long as it's not PSV!

There are precisely two clubs in the world he really can not join. Otherwise I don't care.

K.

[Kowalczyk]

Well done, Gerard van der Lem. In AT5's weekly Ajax talkshow, FC Godenzonen, he defended Rafaël van der Vaart and said that better times are ahead for him. Under Danny Blind, said Van der Lem, Ajax will revert to the '1995 system': playing with three man markers and one defender in front of the defense, plus a real number ten behind the strikers. Van der Lem said that Van der Vaart may soon find himself at his favourite position.

Sounds good!

K.

[aveslacker]

Was his latest injury caused by repetitive strain and does it prove what we have all thought of him this last couple of seasons in that he has been a complete and utter w****r?

That's the funniest thing I've read on these boards in a while! LOL!! :worshippy:

[Kowalczyk]

That's the funniest thing I've read on these boards in a while! LOL!! :worshippy:

Indeed :D

I heard it on the supporters' bus to Nijmegen also, in a slightly more subtle way. I heard one supporter say to another: "Did you hear VDV's not in the squad? Wrist injury..." The other one replied: "Ah, Sylvie's having her period...?"

:D

K.

[666]

Nope. Vaart is not a w****r. He's a complete and utter wanker!

Was his latest injury caused by repetitive strain and does it prove what we have all thought of him this last couple of seasons in that he has been a complete and utter w****r?

[The Purple Cow]

I think he should definately go to P$V.

If they want to blow their money on a useless, overweight, distracted, has-been, then that can only be a great result for Ajax.

And at best a 0 - 0 draw for P$V.

[aveslacker]

I think he should definately go to P$V.

If they want to blow their money on a useless, overweight, distracted, has-been, then that can only be a great result for Ajax.

And at best a 0 - 0 draw for P$V.

I always fear that, whenever a player goes from one rival to another (in any sport), the player may well end up sucking, except for those two times when he faces his old team. Then he plays his nuts off. This is what I fear from VdV going to PSV. Rather he go suck in Spain or England, where Ajax wouldn't have to face him. Also, those teams probably don't see him in action as much, and would likely still believe the hype and be willing to pay more for him.

[Kowalczyk]

All VdV needs is a good coach, who doesn't constantly shifts him around the team, makes him captain, takes the captain's armband away from him again, criticizes him in the press, etc. etc.

A good coach with a Plan will most definitely get him to play football again. I am absolutely convinced of that. I hope it will be Danny Blind (who does seem to have the intention to make him a real 'number 10' again!), but if not it will be some coach of a foreign club.

VdV will be alright. I just hope it will be at Ajax.

K.

[Manneken Pis]

WOW according to www.vi.nl , guus hiddink is offering VDV to join him at P$V !!! ...well anywhere as long as it's not chelski!
i'm sad to see him go since i'm still hoping he'll develop into something...
:nooo:

I would bet the farm that this is just Uncle Guus playing a few mindgames brfore the game on Sunday..... :singer:

[Scotland the Brave]

I honestly can't imagine who would buy him.

Certainly no club in Italy would have him, and I can't imagine any major Spanish club would be interested. Maybe Barca because of the Ajax connection, but that seems a bit far-fetched to me. Madrid love to spend money on over-rated has-been's like Ronaldo, Beckham and Figo - but Raf doesn't have the marketing pulling power that Real require from new players.

For all his big bucks, Jose Mourinho doesn't waste much money, I can't see him wanting Fat Raf. Man U. don't buy crap footballers unless they are goalkeepers. Arsenal - naaah!I can't see Raf's work ethic fitting in at Highbury, Wenger has enough on his hands trying to make a decent player out of Van Persie.

Possibly one of those English clubs with more money than sense would have him, Middlesborough, Newcastle, or Manchester City. Something like that.

But most likely of all?

Glasgow Rangers - you mark my words....

I was thinking Rangers myself, even before I got to the bit where you mentioned it.

Just the sort of "big name" they go for.

Despite his carry on lately I've got a lot of time for him, so it would be an absolute disaster for me if he went to the Huns. I despise them and the other ugly sister as well.

Realistically though, they've just brought Ferguson back from Blackburn and they probably don't have the cash.

If anybody in Scotland, I'd say Celtic are the more likely - if they can't hold on to Craig Bellamy.

[The Purple Cow]

So what did the 'gers do with all the cash they got for Jean-Alain Boumsong?

I think Celtic's system might be a bit more suited to his style of play in retrospect, so maybe that would work. How would his Gypsy Traveller background go down in Glasgow? I guess over here we view Rangers fans as being more sectarian and bigoted than Celtic's - though that's probably unfair.

[Scotland the Brave]

So what did the 'gers do with all the cash they got for Jean-Alain Boumsong?

I think Celtic's system might be a bit more suited to his style of play in retrospect, so maybe that would work. How would his Gypsy Traveller background go down in Glasgow? I guess over here we view Rangers fans as being more sectarian and bigoted than Celtic's - though that's probably unfair.

They used the Boumsong cash to bring in Ferguson and Wattereus.

Can't bear to think of him playing football for either of them, but Celtic are playing the long ball a lot at the moment, so Rangers would probably suit him more.

As for his background, it wouldn't matter too much - the fact that he's Dutch and has played in Orange would be enough for the Gers "fans". May well work against him with Celtic though.

Bigotry is a real problem here because you can't engage either set of fans in a discussion about it without them telling you it's the other lot that do it.

Believe me, things have got so crazy between that pair that you couldn't say who are the worse bigots. For example, Celtic fans have formed an allegiance to the PLO, so guess what flag has appeared at Ibrox lately (Star of David of course).

At the same time, the Rangers fans are noted for their habit of giving Nazi salutes. Crazy or what.

You can buy Republic of Ireland jerseys in the Celtic club shops, the Rangers shops sell England tops.

The situation is so bad that the Scottish parliament has introduced new laws to make it illegal.

And still both clubs refuse to acknowledge there is a problem, insisting it's a small minority that do it.

Fans of other teams here are getting seriously p*ssed off with the level of hatred and the shame it brings on our country.

Whatever VdV has done he doesn't deserve to end up in Glasgow. Bolton Wanderers have got a bit of cash.

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

So whats up with this kid ? he had a really good game for the orange, showed some moves and a lot more creativity and movement than the inicial three in midfield.
I really just dont get it, he looks good in orange but horrible in the white and red, ¿whats the problem then? ¿can it be fixed? I SURE HOPE SO
For now lets just hope his good form in orange carries over to sundays game, herenveen are a real pain in the culo(thats ass in spanish) specialy in their own stadium.

We´re gonna need a good game from Raffie if we want the three points( witch we desperetly need)

[Kowalczyk]

I am not too sure about some of the other guys, but I am absolutely convinced that VdV will be alright. Reason? Quite simply because I am absolutely convinced that Ronald Koeman pretty much destroyed him. The more I read about the way Koeman worked, the more I am convinced that he didn't improve or build anything at this club - while destroying one hell of a lot of things.

The Dutch youngsters got worse and worse under his reign... and then I read a stroy in Het Parool about the structure of his training sessions: always the same. A 'rondo' play, then some running, then a training game. Never anything special, never anything specific. No wonder that these guys never learned anything... and that every weekend the team looked like they had first met each other that morning.

I don't think we could have won the Champions League with this lot (not good enough), but on the other hand I simply refuse to believe that De Jong, Pienaar and Van der Vaart (the generation that was surely going to conquer the world according to the English press after Arsenal vs Ajax...) suddenly can't play football anymore.

Hopefully Danny Blind turns out to be a true 'Ajax thinker' and a 'builder', rather than a cynical, conservative 'survivor' (like Koeman was). If that's the case these guys will be playing football again in no time -- starting with Van der Vaart, who -- in my opinion -- has been criticized way too heavily.

K.