Ajax Directors, Board, Staff

[Ride]

Johan Cruijff is making a mess of this whole f*kking situation.

Johan: leave and never come back. Just stay in sunny Barcelona and shut the hell up.

Retard.

[zeux]

Davids now states he never said Johan Cruijff is a racist. It's a farce. Very insulting for JC.

He said is was a (clumsy) racial remark, but that he doesn't consider him a racist. He also never accused Cruijff of being a racist. He only mentioned that he made a racist remark. Two different things.

The fact that Cruijff is not considered a racist (which many people support), doesn't exclude that he - in anger - can make a racist remark. You can apologize for that. Especially if you are not generally considered a racist.
Unfortunately Cruijff doesn't have the balls to do that. While Davids - although being deeply insulted in the past week by the Cruijff-camp - is very courteous towards Cruijff in his official statement on his website.

[Manneken Pis]

Davids now states he never said Johan Cruijff is a racist. It's a farce. Very insulting for JC.

He said is was a (clumsy) racial remark, but that he doesn't consider him a racist. He also never accused Cruijff of being a racist. He only mentioned that he made a racist remark. Two different things.

The fact that Cruijff is not considered a racist (which many people support), doesn't exclude that he - in anger - can make a racist remark. You can apologize for that. Especially if you are not generally considered a racist.
Unfortunately Cruijff doesn't have the balls to do that. While Davids - although being deeply insulted in the past week by the Cruijff-camp - is very courteous towards Cruijff in his official statement on his website.

I think they should all just shake hands like that nice Mr Blatter suggests.

[souras84]

Davids now states he never said Johan Cruijff is a racist. It's a farce. Very insulting for JC.

He said is was a (clumsy) racial remark, but that he doesn't consider him a racist. He also never accused Cruijff of being a racist. He only mentioned that he made a racist remark. Two different things.

The fact that Cruijff is not considered a racist (which many people support), doesn't exclude that he - in anger - can make a racist remark. You can apologize for that. Especially if you are not generally considered a racist.
Unfortunately Cruijff doesn't have the balls to do that. While Davids - although being deeply insulted in the past week by the Cruijff-camp - is very courteous towards Cruijff in his official statement on his website.

I think they should all just shake hands like that nice Mr Blatter suggests.

[Philippe]

I just can't believe this. I'll wait for a proper official translation of the whole thing.

[SE6Ajacied]

I just can't believe this. I'll wait for a proper official translation of the whole thing.

Hmm, but both Davids and Cruijff speak the same first language - Dutch, Not sure how you can mis-translate what Cruijff is alledged to have said anyway (given that he's not to have used any insulting/racist words as such, just used "normal" words in a potentially discriminatory way).

All very sad anyway, Cruijff remains a footballing hero of mine but after football I'm not too sure.

[Manneken Pis]

Latest on the saga on Guardian website:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011 ... gar-davids

Johan Cruyff explains alleged racist remark towards Edgar Davids
• Comment 'had nothing to do with Davids' skin colour'
• Davids also attempts to diffuse situation at Ajax
Ewan Murray
guardian.co.uk,
Tuesday 22 November 2011 16.16 GMT

Johan Cruyff has used his weekly Dutch newspaper column to attempt to put his comment towards Edgar Davids into context. Photograph: Ade Johnson/EPA
Johan Cruyff has attempted to explain an allegedly racist comment he made towards Edgar Davids by claiming he was referring to the multicultural make-up of Ajax, the club whose supervisory board the pair sit on.

During a television interview on Sunday, Davids alluded to racist treatment during a meeting of the board and, although Davids was not specific, another board member – Steven ten Have – pointed the finger directly at Cruyff. Ten Have alleged that Cruyff said to Davids: "You are only on the supervisory board because you are black."

Cruyff has not denied making such a statement, with the 64-year-old former Holland international instead seeking to put his remark in context. "Ajax is a multicultural club and we have found that many talented immigrant players quit when they reach puberty," he said in his weekly Dutch newspaper column.

"So we wanted to tackle this problem with someone from the same background, who had come through it. And that was Edgar Davids. During one of our fights I pointed that out to him. But it had nothing to do with his skin colour."

Davids has appeared keen to defuse the situation. He explained: "I never said, and I want to emphasise that, that Johan Cruyff was a racist, despite this unfortunate remark on his part. I would also like to make clear I have deep respect for the soccer player Johan Cruyff."

Another Ajax official, Rob Been, has claimed Ten Have changed his stance in relation to Cruyff's treatment of Davids. Been said Ten Have initially regarded Cruyff's words as "clumsy, but nothing special in the context" before speaking out more vehemently during his own broadcast interview.

In a separate development, Dutch media outlets have reported that Ten Have has received threatening letters on account of his dispute with Cruyff. The reports add that Ten Have has hired personal security and changed his designated driver.

Ajax have not commented specifically on the affair but have admitted there is a split within the supervisory board. The appointment of Louis van Gaal as the club's new general manager, apparently without Cruyff's knowledge, has triggered internal discord. There are also doubts over Cruyff's position.

An Ajax statement read: "At the meeting for members council and [the] board of Ajax, with the complete advisory board present, it was established that a breach of trust occurred between Johan Cruyff on one side, and Steven ten Have, Edgar Davids, Marjan Olfers and Paul Römer on the other. During the meeting, Cruyff confirmed that he was no longer prepared to work towards repairing this breach."

Like Ten Have, Olfers has reportedly been the recipient of threatening letters.

[Monkey Tonk]

We all have a choice. We have two icons, Cruyff and Van Gaal, and a new council of people nobody's ever heard of (plus Davids). Are you really going to let that council of nobodies force you into a choice between one of two club icons? Nobody will remember the names of those bit players that are now trying to force the issue. As far as I'm concerned the chaos they created in just their first months on the job is a clear sign of incompetence. People with vision understand the consequences of their actions. That's a quality required for effective leadership. Otherwise you're always putting out fires. The last thing Ajax needs is this kind of shoot from the hip leadership.

I think it is very shortsighted to put all the blame for the mess of the past months on the shoulders of the RvC. Cruijff played his part as well.

If you prefer to trust the unknown Ten Have over Cruyff or Van Gaal, be my guest. Did Cruyff or Van Gaal set off this train wreck? No. Ten Have is there to get rid of Cruyff. First with the stab in the back, now with absurd racist allegations. This is personal. I also feel quite certain by now that he's playing Davids, who is too inexperienced to recognize that. As in 'Davids contacted Van Gaal', and 'Davids, did you hear that racist stuff?' As if Davids never heard any black comment on the pitch. As if Davids, suddenly, out of the blue, decided to contact his old coach. Dirty politics, played through the media, intended to blow up in Cruyff's face. Undoubtedly drenched with revenge motives towards Cruyff from the old lobby. Put two and two together. The treacherous character in this drama is Ten Have. When politics gets dirty it's always by design.

[Philippe]

All this is getting too absurd.

[Amol]

If you prefer to trust the unknown Ten Have over Cruyff or Van Gaal, be my guest. Did Cruyff or Van Gaal set off this train wreck? No. Ten Have is there to get rid of Cruyff. First with the stab in the back, now with absurd racist allegations. This is personal. I also feel quite certain by now that he's playing Davids, who is too inexperienced to recognize that. As in 'Davids contacted Van Gaal', and 'Davids, did you hear that racist stuff?' As if Davids never heard any black comment on the pitch. As if Davids, suddenly, out of the blue, decided to contact his old coach. Dirty politics, played through the media, intended to blow up in Cruyff's face. Undoubtedly drenched with revenge motives towards Cruyff from the old lobby. Put two and two together. The treacherous character in this drama is Ten Have. When politics gets dirty it's always by design.

Who hired Ten Have, Olfers et al?

[GangstaRiB]

If you prefer to trust the unknown Ten Have over Cruyff or Van Gaal, be my guest. Did Cruyff or Van Gaal set off this train wreck? No. Ten Have is there to get rid of Cruyff. First with the stab in the back, now with absurd racist allegations. This is personal. I also feel quite certain by now that he's playing Davids, who is too inexperienced to recognize that. As in 'Davids contacted Van Gaal', and 'Davids, did you hear that racist stuff?' As if Davids never heard any black comment on the pitch. As if Davids, suddenly, out of the blue, decided to contact his old coach. Dirty politics, played through the media, intended to blow up in Cruyff's face. Undoubtedly drenched with revenge motives towards Cruyff from the old lobby. Put two and two together. The treacherous character in this drama is Ten Have. When politics gets dirty it's always by design.

Who hired Ten Have, Olfers et al?

Exactly. There was a 'recommendation commission' that offered Cruijff the names of Ten Have, Davids etc etc. Cruijff said 'yes'. Now he pretends that the 'others' are misleading him by asking Van Gaal, but the truth is that Cruijff sabotaged the whole process from the first minute. No-shows at meetings, even at his official appointment as member of the board he was away. And that guy wants to lead Ajax.. yeah right...

I would rather have Ten Cate who has a tremendous track record in business.

[Orange14]

I would rather have Ten Cate who has a tremendous track record in business.

Yikes, real bad typo here! We had Ten Cate several years ago with disappointing results.

[GangstaRiB]

I would rather have Ten Cate who has a tremendous track record in business.

Yikes, real bad typo here! We had Ten Cate several years ago with disappointing results.

Aahhh well.. you know what I mean.

[Amol]

The RvC just got disbanded. Don't know if I want to be happy or sad about it.

[orange goblin]

Yes. after a long meeting, the council seem to have voted for asking to the whole Board of Commissars (Ten Have, Cruyff, Olfers, Romer and Davids) to resign. probably they will do it, if not for legal for moral reasons.
What will happen now? Three things, if I understood all this mess:
-the composition of a new Board (which probably but maybe not automatically will support the Cruyff-campaign). For now it will be an interim Board, Rob Been Jr the chairman. Then Hennie Henrichs will be the chairman of the new Board
-a new general assembly of members and shareholders
-the composition of a new Board of Commissars
Will all this things affect the appointment of Louis Van Gaal as general director? Will this affect the appointment of directors ad interim Blind and Stukenboom?
Simply I don't know.
But Cruyff seem to have won a point tonight, that's for sure.

[Philippe]

http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2 ... o_co_1.php

[Orange14]

Thanks for the link. At this point it's all pretty confusing and I guess has to be cleared up by the time of the annual meeting on December 12.

[SE6Ajacied]

Thanks for the link - Dutch news in English reminds me a bit of the old BBC Newsround (TV New for about 11 year olds) at election time or whatever. It's the same news just a bit simplified lol.

[SPL]

Evidently the Board wont resign ,do I take it the members council will now take legal action to get rid of the other 4 ie Ten Have,Olfers,Davids Romer, (Cruyff evidently will resign when they do.)

Do these 4 have any power now that they have been voted out and a new interim board elected?

Are they just hanging on for their egoes??

There seems to be a lot of people whose egos are more important than Ajax the club.

The whole thing seems a complete shambles.

[Manneken Pis]

Johan Cruyff in court to fight Ajax appointment of Louis van Gaal
• Cruyff taking legal action against appointment
• Says Van Gaal does not fit his reform agenda

Associated Press guardian.co.uk,
Wednesday 7 December 2011
15.40 GMT


Johan Cruyff and his allies at Ajax have appeared in court in an attempt to block the appointment of Louis van Gaal as the club's new director – the latest step in a bitter boardroom battle.

Cruyff is one of five members on Ajax's supervisory board that controls the day-to-day running of the club. He drew up a plan this year to revitalise the famous Ajax youth training programme by staffing it with respected former players.

He says Van Gaal's appointment, which was made by the four other board members without consulting Cruyff, does not fit into his reform agenda.

"There was a plan presented to the club in March and we got the go-ahead to implement it and that is now being blocked. It's unacceptable," Cruyff said outside the court.

The injunction hearing at the court in the city of Haarlem was also attended by former players including Wim Jonk, Marc Overmars and Jaap Stam, who support Cruyff and work as youth trainers at Ajax.

"This should be the beginning of a new era when former players who are now trainers take the lead at a club like Ajax," Cruyff said.

A judge is expected to issue a ruling in the dispute on Monday 12 December.

[Orange14]

A judge is expected to issue a ruling in the dispute on Monday 12 December.

Court ruled in favor of "Cruyff today saying that the appointment of van Gaal and Sturkenboom cannot be approved by the small group but by the shareholders. The soap opera continues but this round goes to Cruyff and the youth coaches.

[Orange14]

Ernst Bouwes on the current Board situation: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/st ... l?&cc=5901

[SPL]

Would say he is anti Cruyff but even I have to ask whether V Gaal would not be better than the shambles at present . Cruyff is only interested in his ego ,My cousin who lives just out side Amsterdam put it a bit stronger than that .

I am impressed with all these old players now coaches and clearly our youth system lags behind Fword. Will they all walk out if V Gaal arrives? Given the shambles on the park at present I really do think V Gaal will be coach next season so I quess alot of these coaches will leave .

To overhaul the youth system will take more than a year or 2 I suspect . We have already seen one of our best youths walk out ,Bouy ,ok for money , and Tom Boere ,who is only just past his 19th birthday and leading scorer for the Jong also walk out.When a midfielder from the youth played as a striker in the first team I suspect he thought why am I wasting my time here!! The best youth are Danish !!

What ever happens next week I hope who ever loses walks away . IF JC does lose then he must just walk away and stay in Barcelona. If it means de Boer Bergkamp then walk out and V Gaal walks in so be it . Someone must take hold of this club and sort it out . The team is a mess, the contracts of players is amess and the youth system is not healthy .

PS Sorry to you Ko and you dutch guys on here I am sitting here in Uk not a supporter like you but just a meer fan who happens to love this beautiful club who has had a hugh influence on the world of soccer . I am sad at what is currently happening to it . Being destroyed from within.

[aveslacker]

What ever happens next week I hope who ever loses walks away . IF JC does lose then he must just walk away and stay in Barcelona. If it means de Boer Bergkamp then walk out and V Gaal walks in so be it . Someone must take hold of this club and sort it out . The team is a mess, the contracts of players is amess and the youth system is not healthy .

PS Sorry to you Ko and you dutch guys on here I am sitting here in Uk not a supporter like you but just a meer fan who happens to love this beautiful club who has had a hugh influence on the world of soccer . I am sad at what is currently happening to it . Being destroyed from within.

^^^^ This. I agree with everything.

[Kowalczyk]

BREAKING: Cruijff won the lawsuit.

After the last verdict Cruijff appealed to a higher court and he just got his way. The General and Technical Directors (Martin Sturkenboom and Louis van Gaal, respectively) were appointed by the Board of Commissioners in an unlawful way. They may not be appointed. The search for a new Board of Directors can start. This will almost certainly be the job of a new Board of Commissioners: it is generally expected that the current BoC will resign (Ten Have, Olfers, Römer and Davids, the four who were 'at war' with Cruijff).

K.