Ajaxtalk

from "the guardian" :

Player of the season

Johnny Vegas has less trouble finding his feet than most new players in Italy; Platini, Van Basten, Lee Sharpe - they all struggled in their first six months here. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the noted Ajax hothead who Juventus signed on the very eve of the season, was not expected to buck this trend, but buck it he certainly did. Comfortable from day one, the young Swede was Juve's reference point up front throughout this long season, creating, battling and, above all, scoring goals.

Yep, for a player billed as having all the finishing skills of a toddler with a plate of broccoli, Zlatan can certainly score - 16 in all, in this his debut season (which is more than Platini, Van Basten et al managed) and remember, this is from a player bought for the quality of his assists. Simply put, the Zlatman is another class, and is getting better week by week. Which, given he's already player of the season, is a worrying thought.


Now does who does not want the Ajax board to be sacked ?

Damn I miss the guy

A nice story about Jason Culina:

Socceroo forced to leave bride behind

An extract from an interview on Inter.it with Mancini:

"And Edgar Davids?
"Yes, this deserves an explanation. For me it's almost like a defeat. At the start of the year I tried to play him regularly. But at that moment - and it wasn't Davids' fault - the team wasn't doing well. When things aren't working you always try to change something. He was more penalised than anyone else and I'm sorry about this."

The Purple Cow schreef:Well I'm no huge fan of Kuivert, but I think a couple of clarifications are required here....

Even with these clarifications taken into account, there remain a few unpleasant facts:

Kluiverts was speeding in the middle of the city. Repeatedly.
Kluivert did engage in group sex while his wife, pregnant with their first child, was in hospital.

And he hasn't learned from the public's anger about this.

Partly, I blame the strong discipline at Ajax at the time. Kkuivert was 18, 19 years old and had not learned to run his own life. To make choices and face the consequences. Then the huge succes kicked in. He was on top of the world and had not been taught how to deal with that.

But then again - since he should have had time to mature. He hasn't.

Kowalczyk schreef:Patrick Kluivert did not pass his medical. The doctors say the state of his knee is not good and they've given Valencia a negative advice. Second (and third...) opinion this evening, but the club are already investigating the legal opportunities to dissolve the contract...

Kluivert passed his medical today. The club gave him three weeks to work on his knee and recover from the knee surgery that he's had. He underwent a new test today - and it was alright. The transfer is completed.

K.

"Kluiverts was speeding in the middle of the city. Repeatedly."

Twice doesn't constitute "repeatedly". And the outskirts of Amsterdam North hardly represents the "middle of the city".

Secondly, I've never met a man of his age that doesn't speed on a regular basis.

***

"Kluivert did engage in group sex while his wife, pregnant with their first child, was in hospital.

And he hasn't learned from the public's anger about this."

Interesting isn't it? That "the public" (whoever they are) are much more forgiving of white athletes in these situations, however when its a balck athlete they "get angry" and stay angry.

***

"Partly, I blame the strong discipline at Ajax at the time..."

Good grief. So stong discipline causes people to act badly nowadays does it? Funny, I always thought it was the total opposite. Maybe you should spread this alarming piece of news to the world's generals, they've been running their armies the wrong way this last 400 years.

***

"Kkuivert (sic) was 18, 19 years old and had not learned to run his own life. To make choices and face the consequences. Then the huge succes kicked in. He was on top of the world and had not been taught how to deal with that."

So how many 18 year oldds that you know could handle that level of success at that age?

Why is the fact that Kluivert (like many, many, others) couldn't handle it then - relevant now?

"So stong discipline causes people to act badly nowadays does it? "

Yep.

Too much discipline is a bad thing for indepedent thought. And it's a bad thing for accountability. Why do you think armies like it so much? They use it to put people in a state of mind where they are willing and able to kill complete strangers. All for a higher purpose. A purpose that the soldiers don't get to decide on.

Some athletes are able to handle fame at an early age. Tiger Woods, to name just one. Dennis Bergkamp, to name another.

Some athletes aren't able to handle it at first. Some of those learn. Some never do. I'm sorry, but I really think Kluivert is in the latter categorie.

Those speeding young men you talk about seem to learn, too. Sometimes at the expense of terrible accidents. Do you really think that a couple of 100's people a year who die this way are to be shrugged of?

[/i]

"Some never do. I'm sorry, but I really think Kluivert is in the latter categorie. "

But on what evidence, other than your inate prejudices?

I resent being called prejudiced!

Read back the thread, you .... cow.

"I resent being called prejudiced!"

Well stop talking bollocks, then.

Monaco seems to be interested in Andy Van der Meyde. He's in Monaco with his agent for a good chat with Deschamps today and tomorrow.

In Monaco he will enjoy tax free boredom and silent games with no home supporters. Sad.

Sydsvenskadagbladet reports that Jari Litmanen is close to a six month deal with Swedish champions Malmö FF. His CL experience is reportedly what Malmö are looking for.

Allsvenskan is probably a good choice for Litmanen if he still feels he wants to play football. I have no expectations anymore though. Jari is not getting any younger and it feels like his time is over. Anyway, this just makes the Champions League qualifications more interesting. Even though I'm no MFF supporter, I'd like to see them qualifying to the CL. It would give Swedish club football a well needed lift.

Malmö FF has a quite good and experienced team now, by the way. Former Bayern and Barca defender Patrik Andersson and his brother Daniel Andersson (with Serie A experience). Yksel Osmanovski (also Serie A experience), keeper Mattias Asper (played a few years in Spain and Turkey), Brazilian Afonso Alves (probably the best player in Allsvenskan) and also a few other very talented players. They might just a good chance of qualifying, if they get the right draws.

Interesting article on the BBC site about Van der Vaart "Whatever happened to Rafael van der Vaart?". Seems that they don't think he'll be sticking around in Hamburg too long either........

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 673085.stm

Just read on Ajax Netwerk and NOS Teletekst that former Young Ajax defender Ruud Kras, whose contract with Ajax expired 12 days ago, has signed a two-year contract at First Division side FC Dordrecht. Kras joined Ajax on 19 February 2001, signing a four year deal. He never made it to the first team (except in a post-season friendly at DWV in 2002), played for Young Ajax and was - in recent seasons - loaned out to FC Zwolle and the club he played for before joining Ajax: FC Volendam. He never had an official appearance for Ajax-1.

K.

Just read this little piece on http://www.egyptianplayers.com/NewMido/ ... ido319.htm re our old friend Mido:-

Ahmed "Mido" Hossam announced plans to launch a football academy to nurture emerging talent in Egypt.


"There are at least another 50 Midos in Egypt but they just need someone to give them a hand."


Bloody scary for coaches around the world that there are another 50 Midos, and I feel that it is a safe bet that you won't find any of them joining Koeman. :D

Raffy did the business for Hamburg SV in their Intertoto Cup semi-final against Sigma Olomouc...

http://www.uefa.com/competitions/Intert ... index.html

If they make it to the final they're up against the winner of Roda JC vs Valencia and it won't be hard to predict who that will be: Roda got stuffed by 4-0 in Spain.

K.

Good article on the Fox Sports.com website, discussing the question that all of us must have asked ourselves, namely...

Why did Van der Vaart choose Hamburg?

Check it out, if only because there's a nice picture of Sylvie in it as well.

K.

Check this out:

http://juventus.abu-jassim.com/2005-200 ... _ben_a.wmv

Miss ya Z! :nooo:

Per schreef:Check this out:

http://juventus.abu-jassim.com/2005-200 ... _ben_a.wmv

Miss ya Z! :nooo:

But we have Charisteas!!

X'C X'C X'C

K.

Kowalczyk schreef:

Per schreef:Check this out:

http://juventus.abu-jassim.com/2005-200 ... _ben_a.wmv

Miss ya Z! :nooo:

But we have Charisteas!!

X'C X'C X'C

K.

Have you already given up on Rosenberg?

I saw in the match report that you mention lacking goals and then mention Charisteas and Babel as no go for 20 goals a season.

Has he been that terrible or are you just being very much an Ajax fan ??

My remark 'But we have Charisteas!!' was very sarcastic. It means I don't believe in him. I do believe in Rosenberg. Definitely.

K.

Kowalczyk schreef:My remark 'But we have Charisteas!!' was very sarcastic. It means I don't believe in him. I do believe in Rosenberg. Definitely.

K.

Yeah, i got the sarcasm

But I was still wondering....ah, whatever.... :xyxthumbs:

Filipe just signed with Real Madrid.