New Players for Ajax

[SE6Ajacied]

Im still hoping for that Ochoa kid, looks great! I've given up on stekelenburg getting any better... It's time we move on and look for a better goalie..

Well Stekelenburg is not perfect but I wouldn't exactly call him the weak link either - don't think it's a priority

[dws]

Stekelenburg was very reliable last season.

[SE6Ajacied]

Stekelenburg was very reliable last season.

My point exactly but you were 23 seconds too slow

[dws]

Stekelenburg was very reliable last season.

My point exactly but you were 23 seconds too slow

[ZoefdeHaas]

Ajax won't buy Suarez...shame.

We should get Gudjohnsson or loan him from Barca, he would be a good buy.

Or now is the time for Defour.

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

Well it's kinda fair. They're showing balls & saying that they don't want to let this guy go. Well hopefully this means that Goossens gets more playing time than he would've. But we need some more cover since Mitea & Manucharyan keep getting injured.

Yeah I've been trying to look aroud everywhere for any Xabi Prieto news - but haven't found anything in the past few days.

This friend of mine (Athletic Bilbao fan) keeps telling me about how good Prieto is - so lets wait & see if we can get him. I think they should just give Soceidad their 6 mill & get this guy.

Ajax are playing it tough with Real Sociedad cause the spaniards are in a bad positiòn right now...they either sell or they loose prieto for nothing on a free transfer next season. The only problem with Prieto is that Athletic Bilbao are also in the hunt and Prieto has expressed his desire to stay in Spain. Ajax will have too give in if they want this lad, Sociedad might sell at the end off the day for 4 million but it wont be to Ajax...it will be to Bilbao.
We either out buy Bilbao or we dont get prieto...simple.

[Blind3]

Check out an RTV Noord story ,as run on Ajax Netwerk , regards the latest in the Suarez saga. Does this blurb indicate another twist in the tale ? If so, this is getting to be monotonous.

[dws]

Check out an RTV Noord story ,as run on Ajax Netwerk , regards the latest in the Suarez saga. Does this blurb indicate another twist in the tale ? If so, this is getting to be monotonous.

Suarez is seeking to go to arbitration.

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

Check out an RTV Noord story ,as run on Ajax Netwerk , regards the latest in the Suarez saga. Does this blurb indicate another twist in the tale ? If so, this is getting to be monotonous.

Link ??

[Kowalczyk]

Yeah, arbitration after all...

Suárez is absolutely gutted that the transfer fell through. He wants to push through, claiming that Groningen are demanding an unreasonable fee. Which they are, of course: 9.5 million is outrageous. Huntelaar cost 9 million and he had just scored 34 goals in 34 games. Suárez scored 15 times last season. He's not half the hype KJH was when Ajax bought him.

7 million would be reasonable. The 6.5 million Ajax offered is not unreasonable (their initial bid of 3.5 million was, of course, a joke).

K.

[Manneken Pis]

I don't want to start off the new season by being too negative....

but....


I must say I'm massively underwhelmed by our transfer activity.

[Kowalczyk]

I don't want to start off the new season by being too negative....

but....

I must say I'm massively underwhelmed by our transfer activity.

Well, I wouldn't say 'massively underwhelmed', but I definitely see what you mean and I share your concern.

Kennedy Bakirçioglü is a real purchase. A pretty big transfer. Many clubs were after him and he's a quality player. Good buy.

Erik Heijblok and Ismael Urzaiz? Oh well, a third goalkeeper and a veteran striker, both on free transfers. They don't really 'count', with all due respect. Urzaiz seems a good idea, though. I must admit that.

But then there's Delorge, Rommedahl and Colin...

I didn't follow them in recent seasons, so maybe they're friggin' brilliant. Perhaps they'll take Ajax to the next level. But for now I can't say I'm impressed.

Delorge failed to make an impact at Anderlecht (except when he got involved in a game-selling scandal). His only claim to fame as a footballer is the fact that he was the best player of ADO Den Haag when they went down.

Dennis Rommedahl? We used to make fun of him when he was at PSV. He was always dangerous, but a bit of a simple 'runner'. And he didn't exactly set the Premiership on fire for Charlton, with whom he got relegated.

Colin? Couldn't crack it at PSV and actually struggled at Norwich City, where he "never really convinced". And we're talking about England's Division One here...

Ajax cashed 25 million euros this summer (De Mul + Perez + Babel), but I get the impression that Fontein wants to stick it all into the club's piggy bank. They're trying to find half-decent players on the cheap, rather than paying serious money for serious quality.

Maybe I'm wrong. I hope I am.

K.

[Manneken Pis]

Well, I wouldn't say 'massively underwhelmed', but I definitely see what you mean and I share your concern.
K.

OK let's put it this way:

Kennedy Bakirçioglü: Looks like a good buy

Erik Heijblok and Ismael Urzaiz: Potential Reserves or Subs

Delorge: (ex)Crook/Not impressive in past

Rommedahl: Forest Gump/Not impressive in past

Colin: Not impressive in past (not even in the English 2nd Division)

Now, bear in mind:
a) we've lost first team players (from a first team that struggled to show consistent solid performances last season),
b) I would submit our competitors have improved their squads (and don't underestimate Berty @ Fword),
....and these are the "improvements".

No, 'massively underwhelmed', doesn't seem to strong to me.

I grant you HTK knows more about football (and the new arrivals) than me but still...

[GangstaRiB]

Not that many players left... De Mul (not a real loss), Perez (we all know the story) and Babel (he is the only big loss). In return we have 2 players that substitude De Mul: Kennedy and Rommedahl who were both much cheaper than the 5 million that we received for De Mul.

But keep in mind that next year, Ajax might face an exodus of players. Stam will finish his carreer. Sneijder will be gone, Huntelaar is saying that he will move next year, Heitinga is also a bit restless. Furthermore Urzaiz will quit his carreer, he signed a one-year deal with Ajax.

I think that Van Geel saves his money for next year..

[bryan]

Stekelenburg was very reliable last season.

My point exactly but you were 23 seconds too slow

Maarten Stekelenburg was 23 seconds too slow most of the season.

[bryan]

Maybe I'm wrong. I hope I am.

My hunch is that they're waiting until they know they are in the Champs League for sure before splashing the cash.

[bluedaddy19]

Maarten Stekelenburg was 23 seconds too slow most of the season.

No matter how many times you make this ridiculous assertion, it will never come any closer to being true.

[ZoefdeHaas]

Ajax cashed 25 million euros this summer (De Mul + Perez + Babel), but I get the impression that Fontein wants to stick it all into the club's piggy bank. They're trying to find half-decent players on the cheap, rather than paying serious money for serious quality.

Maybe I'm wrong. I hope I am.

K.

i'm thinking that.

theres the likes of Gudjohnson, Motta, whom are better buys than what we got. We couldve even got Tim Krul as a keeper.

Ajax either have lots of faith with what they have, or are too stingy to spend.

[Blind3]

We need two quality left-sided players , wing and mf , before I am moved from underwhelmed. I love the Kennedy buy , but filling our reserves bench hardly seems the stuff of high aspirations. Bring in Suarez and Prieto or Motta and I'll be feeling a whole lot better. Also, I don't like that we're leaving it late to assemble the pieces.

As for next year , I hope we've sights set on Moussa Dembele level talent and better.

[bryan]

Maarten Stekelenburg was 23 seconds too slow most of the season.

No matter how many times you make this ridiculous assertion, it will never come any closer to being true.

The moment at 3:35 pretty much sums everything up. How many times has he done that... catch the ball!

[dws]

Maarten Stekelenburg was 23 seconds too slow most of the season.

No matter how many times you make this ridiculous assertion, it will never come any closer to being true.

The moment at 3:35 pretty much sums everything up. How many times has he done that... catch the ball!

bryan, you're talking bullshit and you know it.

No keeper goes through a season without making one or two errors. Stekelenburg had very good season for Ajax ... very, very few mistakes.

[Blind3]

No keeper is fool proof. I think Stekelenberg and Gentenaar are a quality tandem. I think Ajax needs a second center back who can play with Jaap Stam-like ability and toughness consistently more than it nees to replace the goalkeeper left hung out to dry by defensive deficiencies.

Rumour Mill : Musampa and even Elmander were mentioned as possible left sided options. Musampa by Voetbal Int'l and Elmander in an item mentioned on Ajax Netwerk.

Jesus , I think we've been linked to everyone who's left of center save for Karl Marx ( dead) , Fidel Castro ( not dead...yet ) ,and Hugo Chavez.

[Kowalczyk]

Jesus , I think we've been linked to everyone who's left of center save for Karl Marx ( dead) , Fidel Castro ( not dead...yet ) ,and Hugo Chavez.

Brilliant.

K.

[bryan]

No matter how many times you make this ridiculous assertion, it will never come any closer to being true.

The moment at 3:35 pretty much sums everything up. How many times has he done that... catch the ball!

bryan, you're talking bullshit and you know it.

No keeper goes through a season without making one or two errors. Stekelenburg had very good season for Ajax ... very, very few mistakes.

eh, ok, no need to take that tone

i chose the moment at 3:35 (or 3:31 to be more exact) because it didn't lead to a goal, but it's something he does all the time, namely flapping his arms about instead of catching the ball. he gets away with it most of the time, but puts his defence under pressure because they have to clear the ball or prepare for another incoming cross. if he'd learn to catch the ball then the defence could take a break and regroup while stekelenburg calmly brings the ball back into play. it's pretty basic stuff for goalkeeper to do, really. especially at ajax, where an importance is placed on possession.

i find it surprising that ajax are spending so much time looking for forwards and attacking midfielders when a quick glance at last year's PSV, AZ and Ajax goal differences tells the story. basically, you score two goals at home against excelsior and you should win. end of story.

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

No keeper is fool proof. I think Stekelenberg and Gentenaar are a quality tandem. I think Ajax needs a second center back who can play with Jaap Stam-like ability and toughness consistently more than it nees to replace the goalkeeper left hung out to dry by defensive deficiencies.

Rumour Mill : Musampa and even Elmander were mentioned as possible left sided options. Musampa by Voetbal Int'l and Elmander in an item mentioned on Ajax Netwerk.

Jesus , I think we've been linked to everyone who's left of center save for Karl Marx ( dead) , Fidel Castro ( not dead...yet ) ,and Hugo Chavez.

Jesus , I think we've been linked to everyone who's left of center save for Karl Marx ( dead) , Fidel Castro ( not dead...yet ) ,and Hugo Chavez (WISH HE WAS DEAD!!!!!!!!)

For farks sake.... AJAX and that bastard should not be named in the same sentance....