To all,

I'm looking forward to getting my first live look at Ajax this summer (I've secured tix to all three matches). It's just my luck though that when I finally do get to see them, it is one of the poorer squads in Ajax history. Oh well, I'm still very excited. My question is: what players can I expect to see this summer? I know Litmanen is leaving and Van der Sar will probably follow. Couple that with Blind retiring and possibly Oliseh leaving and I wonder if I will know any of the players who take the pitch in the red and white!!!!LOL!!! So who should we be looking out for? Dani? Gronkjaer? Arveladze? Benni? Tobiason? Knopper? Splinter? Any other youth players?

Greg

-- Greg Roch (pjax@compuserve.com), May 06, 1999

Answers

Ajax has just bought dutch international Frank Verlaat from Vfb Stuttgart (Germany). Frank Verlaat was one of the best defenders (Top 5) of the German league last year, he signed a 4-year contract.

-- Jim (jim@arsdigita.com), June 29, 1999.

The following post to the Ajax listserv might shed some light on the 'new' Ajax defense...

"Ajax are apparently after Verlaat who I think would be an excellent addition but perhaps a little old. Where is Wouters going to play all of these defenders? Each seems to be good enough to require a first team spot and thats with melchiot and mensah leaving. Wouters is also after Adil Ramzi who is very talented but Udinese want about 10mil gulden (about #3.2million or $5million) for him. Defenders for next season(as of now): Ole Tobiasen Tom Sier Ferdi Vierklau Arno Splinter Sunday Oliseh ?Franck Verlaat? Jan Van Halst John O'Brien( i think he can play def and mid) Tim De Cler" (end of post)

-- jim (jim@tko-web.com), May 10, 1999.

From what I've been reading on the Ajax lists, it seems as though Wouters has been playing some of the up and coming younger players. Wouldn't it be exciting to say down the road that we saw the next Bergkamp/van Basten/Cruyff begin their Ajax1 careers right here in the US?

-- Steven Gordon (sgordo@mindspring.com), May 11, 1999.

Wow what is this?, Ajax Usa? what the hell is that?For 12 years I'm a proud ajax-fan and I never heard that Ajax had any fans their in the States. I can tell ya this, Ajax isn't that good at the moment, in the Dutch championship they ended at the 6th place. But no sadness, Ajax is getting better. All their wounds from Olsen had to health by Wouters. You see his own greation with new players. The player who will play are , Gronkjear, Knopper, De Cler, benni, Arvaladze,. Sorry for all the young Dani girls, he is still recovering from a injury, still as Baba, the fastest ajax player now. But when you see them you will see a motivated team that will fight for victory, We will never see a team like Ajax in 1995, the year they won the wolrdcup, and their will no player be better than Van Basten and Johan "14" I'm sure about that. Ok you don't have to read all this bullshit. But i have one bad thing about this page. At the home-page from this site you can see a pic with a young guy with the text, "my Hooligan" (or something like that). But if you know what hooligans here doing after the games, you hope your kid will never get intough with those people Maybe you all heard of the hooligan Picorni who died on a fight against Feyenoord hooligans. Ok i finish now with this trash. Hope you have a great time by watching Ajax. Ajax will be my team till my death fallows. greatings from Holland Ajax Amsterdam, no mercy!

-- TvD (stinky_kicks_ass@hotmail.com), May 31, 1999.

You might see Laudrup, Menzo, Winter and Verlaat

-- Daniel Sanderson (sanderr@northnet.com.au), June 03, 1999.

Maybe we'll see something like this (if they bring the "full" team): GK: Menzo (Grim) D: Tobiasen, Vierklau, Oliseh, De Cler (O'Brien, Splinter, Nieuwenburg, Van Halst) M: Winter, Laudrup, Witschge <=Wow! F: Wamberto, Arveladze, Gronkjaer ((Knopper, Dani)

-- Jim (tko@tko-web.com), June 17, 1999.

Oliseh was clever enough to sign with both Juventus and AS Roma. That needs some sorting out, but he will be gone.

It makes the signing of Verlaat more urgent. At least there is extra money available to buy him out of his contract.

Don't underestimate Nieuwenburg coming from Sparta, considered one of the talents of last season.

Also an young Australian talent, Culina (sp?), will get a chance.

In general, Ajax will come with the full complement. They are in the height of their preparation, everybody is playing for the starting line-up.

joost.

-- Joost Schraag (jschraag@xs4all.nl), June 20, 1999.

Ajax is recovering from last seasons defeat. Danny Blind bought very good players and i think that Ajax will be Dutch champion this year. Players you are going to see are Aron Winter (played four world cups for Holland), Dani (who played his first game yesterday since half a year. Scored also two goals), Machlas (New player, a striker from Greece who was top scorer of Europe in 1997-1998, so watch out for him), Brian Laudrup (Brother of Michael Laudrup and ex-payer of Ac Milan). Ajax is back at the top of Europe.

-- Michael van Beers (m.vbeers@tijdbeursmedia.nl), July 14, 1999.

The best line-up for this season: Goal: Grim Defense: Tobiasen, van Halst, Verlaat, de Cler Midfield: Winter, Reuser (Arveladze), Witschge (Dani) Attack: Laudrup, Machlas (Arveladze, Benni), Gronkjaer (Bobson)

-- wishful thinking (bigsurprise@hotmail.com), July 21, 1999.

I've been watching some of the warm-up matches and there are a number of players to watch out for. First of course Brian Laudrup, Aaron Winter, Frank Verlaat and Nicos Machlas. These players proved themselves already the last few years. A new talent from the Ajax-school is KEVIN BOBSON. He's only 19 years old and is playing left-wing old Ajax style (like Brian Roy and Edgar Davids used to do). Very exciting player to watch !! Benni was looking good but I heard Jan Wouters kept him out of the squad for the ocean trip. So all you folks over there, enjoy an exciting new Ajax, it's time for some new trophy's (the old ones are getting rusty).

-- Paul Gunneman (p_gunne@dds.nl), July 21, 1999.