Steven Pienaar

[vagegast]

Whats in November?

Sinterklaas.

[ZoefdeHaas]

:D

[Kowalczyk]

According to reports Borussia Dortmund are seriously interested in landing Steven Pienaar. The German Bundesliga club expect that their current 'number 10', Tomas Rosicky, will leave Dortmund at season's end. Pienaar would be the ideal successor, the manager is quoted saying in the reports.

Ajax stated that Borussia Dortmund did not contact them yet.

K.

[ZoefdeHaas]

Now Bremen, Hamburg and most of all, Liverpool are interested in Pienaar

[Per]

I'm not sure how to feel about Steven Pienaar.

The form and promise he showed two seasons ago sometimes flare up in great moments, but still he seems to have reached a plateu.

He is a very gifted footballer and make no mistake, if we do sell him he'll probably shine again (just like mr of the Speed).

The question is: Is he doing the business at Ajax right now?

I'd say, he's doing half the business....rest of the time, no.

Generally I am concerned about his size and physique. It's really hard to have that mans body and make it as a central midfielder on the big stage. You have to have some more power to put behind the ball and in encounters with opponents. He's no notoriuos striker either, is he?

[Kowalczyk]

The KNVB have announced that their prosecutor is investigating Steven Pienaar's violent behaviour against PSV's Ibrahim Afellay. In the second half of PSV vs Ajax Pienaar very clearly kicked Afellay in the abdomen. Referee Pieter Vink did not notice, but the TV footage is currently under investigation.

I've seen the TV footage and it was a disgraceful foul. He kicked him right in the abdomen (perhaps in the family jewels; couldn't see it exactly). He will absolutly be suspended for at least three games, is my expectation...

K.

[DanK]

He will absolutly be suspended for at least three games, is my expectation...

K.

And rightly so. 3 should be the absolute min.

[Frans]

If I remember correctly Afellay made a bit of a dubious tackle on one of the Ajax players, and in the following minutes was hacked down at least 3 times, and practically kicked out of the game. I'm not sure if this was retribution, and I don't condone Pienaar's action, but at least it seemed like the Ajax players were sticking up for each other, which was good to see.

[ZoefdeHaas]

If Pienaar does get band, then we'll be missing two playmakers for Heerenveen (Sneijder and Pienaar)

[Michael_B]

Let's hope Manucharyan is fit to play then...

[Manneken Pis]

Referee Pieter Vink did not notice, but the TV footage is currently under investigation.
K.

Not condoning Pinnear in any way, but perhaps they should also investigate Farfan's blattant dive as well.........

[666]

Nope. Investigation and suspension (if any) will be after the Heerenveen game.

If Pienaar does get band, then we'll be missing two playmakers for Heerenveen (Sneijder and Pienaar)

[Kowalczyk]

Settlement proposal from the KNVB presecutor: three games plus one conditional.

I say: accept and get it over with. Three games is pretty bad, but given the way Pienaar kicked Afellay it might get worse (four games unconditional?) if they turn this proposal down.

K.

[Kowalczyk]

According to the daily Eredivisie News on Talpa TV Steven Pienaar has turned Ajax's offer down. Ajax claim that they offered him an excellent deal. Apparently he really wants to go (although he has constantly claimed that he wanted to stay). If a player wants to leave, but not upset the supporters, he can always ask for a ridiculous salary and then blame the club for "not showing respect". I'm not saying that that's the case here; I'm just saying that it isn't automatically Ajax's fault that he won't sign a new deal.

Anyway: Pienaar is on his way out. Fair chance that Ajax will do business with Borussia Dortmund in the winter break, so that they will at least grab some cash for him.

Too bad, but I can't say that Pienaar is irreplaceable. He's a very entertaining, extremely gifted football player, but his shooting and finishing are terrible. His crosses are not good enough for a right winger and he doesn't score enough for a 'number 10'. In my favourite line-up Rosales would be the right winger and Sneijder the #10, to be honest.

Anyway - no hard feelings. It's been great having Pienaar.

K.

[bryan]

Pienaar is the most valuable player at the club, in my opinion. There's no use comparing him to Rosales, because Pienaar is not a right winger at all. In every match as a right winger his important contributions have come when he decided, "sod this, I'm playing in the centre". Sure, Sneijder can shoot, but Pienaar is better than him in every other department, possibly even including tackling. Not that either of them are any good at the latter, mind.

It's a pity Ajax stood him up in the summer when he still wanted to sign. But who knows, maybe an exciting quarter-final draw will change his mind.

[ZoefdeHaas]

Pienaar is only faster, I don't see the great significance of that. I really like Pienaar he was as Ko said entertaining and we could all tell he's gifted but if he wants to leave let him leave. Cash please.

[LouisXIV & co]

Selling Pienaar will be third mistake after letting Zlatan and VDV go so easily. Sure, maybe Arie offered him a great deal. But I rather believe Pienaar than this ex-criminal-cabdriver that has ruined our club from the moment he got in charge!

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

Never been a real fan of him but must admit that he's a very good player with a good future.This is the Ajax way of life we all know that. If he wants to leave let him leave he has given us some very good years(and some funny celebration's). Rosales can take his place.

Its going to be a very interesting winter coming up.

[DanK]

Too bad, but I can't say that Pienaar is irreplaceable. He's a very entertaining, extremely gifted football player, but his shooting and finishing are terrible. His crosses are not good enough for a right winger and he doesn't score enough for a 'number 10'. In my favourite line-up Rosales would be the right winger and Sneijder the #10, to be honest.
K.

Glad its just not me who thinks this guy cant shoot at goal to save his life. Overall he IS a gifted footballer, but I have lost count of the number of times he misses easy goals or makes a pass when shooting was the better option.

Anyway - no hard feelings. It's been great having Pienaar.
K.

Yep, but let the clean out begin.

[jamcocteau]

Piennar on his way to Scotland according to a scottish newspaper

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/foot ... _page.html

Now being of the Scottish persuasion myself, I for the life of me cannot understand why he would consider this apart from a purely financial motive.

I think Piennar is a very skillful player, but to be honest has a tendency (as they say back hame) to shite himself when going in for the tackle. Also think for an attacking midfielder his number of goals is very poor, his shots at time are an embarassment in terms of style and the strength in them.

Don't think under any circumstances that this would be a good move for him but if Celtic are prepared to delve into their infamous biscuit tin and shelve out the cash then Ajax should take it.

Cannae wait to see him in a muddy field up in the likes of Inverness in the middle of winter being sent flying over the stand by a big muckler of a defender.

[Frans]

Don't think under any circumstances that this would be a good move for him

Same thing was said about Van der Vaart going to Hamburg (though possibly for different reasons). Look how he's faring now.

[Kowalczyk]

It is true that a short, high-skilled, creative player can be an unexpected revelation in a league where tough, straught forward, 'masculine' football is the norm. Van der Vaart at Hamburg is a perfect example.

Yet, I feel that this can very well happen (also to Pienaar) in the German Bundesliga, but not in Scotland.

As for Italy: the better Italian teams will never give their 'number 10' position to a chap that scores four goals per season. They want 'Totti material' for that position (12-15 goals at least).

My advice to Pienaar would be: Spain or Germany.

K.

[bryan]

Lubo Moravcik, a similar kind of a player, was very successful at Celtic.

[Dubbel]

My advice to Pienaar would be: Spain or Germany.

PSV Eindhoven? :X

[aveslacker]

My advice to Pienaar would be: Spain or Germany.

PSV Eindhoven? :X

PSV :rocketwhore: