Ajax now is not Ajax 1995 (duh…)

By: Jan | November 12th, 2008

By an AD-reader:

I am starting to get fed up with all the criticism on Ajax’ counter-attacking style, realism and AZ’s beautiful football. Look at the history of Ajax, Feyenoord, PSV and AZ and you’ll draw the following three conclusions:

1. Ajax is the most successful Dutch club ever
2. In the last seasons, PSV did better than Ajax and Feyenoord.
3. AZ has yet to become a consistent top club.

And with some more depth in our analysis, we find that since Ajax moved to De Arena, the performance of Ajax decreased. The expectations however, grew. From the cosy club from De Meer to the European top club with big ambitions.

Look at the signings and look at the statements of the board. One million euros signing after the other. And if a season was disappointing, another strategic plan was written, describing how Ajax could stay (?) amongst the biggest 16 clubs in Europe.

And all fueled by our results from the past.

The most successful Ajax teams were basically all manned with self developed players. Maybe two or three non Ajax players were allowed to interfere with the way Ajax played. We never followed the madness of buying players. We didn’t have to. And we couldn’t.

When Ajax won the UEFA Cup in 1992 and the CL in 1995, it was close to bankruptcy. The only thing left for the club to do was use youthful talents.

On September 14 1994, Ajax played their first game in the CL against AC Milan. Away. No one really thought Ajax had a chance. The world watched on, how the youngsters, all of them virtually no-names, outplayed the European champs. And we beat them again, weeks later. And in the finals!

David beat Goliath, not once, not twice, but thrice! We were, to be honest, a tad surprised ourselves.

We all hark back to those days, but we seem to forget that since 1995 no coach and no club has been able to copy that result.

Thirteen years back, Van Gaal’s success was a surprise. Now, it seems to be the norm. That norm has been swept of the table by Uri Coronel. The preposterous strategic plan is now used as note paper in the laundry room.

Forget the demands of media and public to play great football. That puts too much pressure on. Look at AZ. There are no demands there. Or it should be: finishing in the top 5. And look: AZ plays fresh and attacking football. The players enjoy themselves.

But we are Ajax. Two stars on the chest. A stadium housing 50.000+ fans and a towering budget. A name, synonymous with attractive, gutsy play. But not in the last ten seasons, thank you very much. And thus, we need to make giant leaps forward.

But most of all, we need patience. The Ajax of today is not the Ajax of 1995 or the Ajax of 1971. Times have changed, the competion has changed and the team has changed.

This is the Ajax of 2008. In five years we’ll look back: will Ajax have lost face or gained a new one? I think the latter… But don’t hold your breath…

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