03 May 2006: FC Groningen - Ajax

[Kowalczyk]

2-0 up!

Should be enough!

Last Eredivisie (play-off) game of the season: FC Groningen vs Ajax at the Green Cathedral. Kick-off: 19.00 CET.

Champions League (qualifiers...) here we come!!

K.

[DanK]

2-0 up!

Should be enough!

Last Eredivisie (play-off) game of the season: FC Groningen vs Ajax at the Green Cathedral. Kick-off: 19.00 CET.

Champions League (qualifiers...) here we come!!

K.

It will be interesting to see what happens if Groningen score early. I am sure Ajax will come under pressure. Hopefully the last few games have given the team much needed confidence.

Amazing to think after one of our worst seasons that I can remember we will (probably) qualify for CL playoff next season.

Go boys!!! :cheer:

[ZoefdeHaas]

Performance wise this was a shit season. Place wise, not necessarily. Like we all know 2nd or 4th dont matter with this (controversial) play off system.

[Kowalczyk]

Yeah, but we're Ajax, Zoef... We have pride and a certain standard. That's why I don't buy the "all's well that ends well" bollocks. It's about the quality of the team, the quality of the football and the progression that this particular head-coach has made with the team. The TD needs to analyze and evaluate this without listening to the fans, who apparently don't see the difference between Blind as a player and Blind as a coach.

K.

[Philippe]

That's why I don't buy the "all's well that ends well" bollocks.
K.

You know what ? If Blind gets the CL spot, and the Cup, after trashing feyen@rd, and a not so bad performance in the CL, I think he will have been the most successful coach in a long time (with Co we played well, but lost every important game, and with Koeman, only result mattered). And as any clever person, I assume that he has learned from his mistakes, and now has the player he wants.

[jamcocteau]

That's why I don't buy the "all's well that ends well" bollocks.
K.

You know what ? If Blind gets the CL spot, and the Cup, after trashing feyen@rd, and a not so bad performance in the CL, I think he will have been the most successful coach in a long time (with Co we played well, but lost every important game, and with Koeman, only result mattered). And as any clever person, I assume that he has learned from his mistakes, and now has the player he wants.

Please tell me you are joking here. The most successful coach in a long time after our worse league position in 41 years, some truly abysmal football and very very embarassing defeats. As a person and a player I have a lot of time for Danny Blind but as a first team coach I am afraid he has made some serious tactical mistakes during this season and in some cases downright bizarre. I would retain him at the club in some capacity because I believe in coaching younger players he would be good but sorry at this moment he is not the man to lead Ajax forward.

I would rather have a season like we did under Koeman and win the league than have to suffer what I have witnessed this last 9 months at the ArenA.

Phillipe, myself and many others were there for every home game this season and if you honestly think what we had to endure was good or even acceptable then I am afraid we have very differing views on how we see not only Ajax but football in general. I have witnessed many great moments watching Ajax over the years but in nearly 25 games at the Arena this year only 2 spring to mind as being put into that category - first half against Inter and the game against Feyenoord last week. The rest were forgettable.

All is not well in the ship called Ajax at this moment and the board recognise this as do one hell of a lot of supporters. Change is needed or the Ajax we have known and loved is going to sink into the seas of mediocrity in the Eredivisie. This cannot and should not be allowed and if means someone on the board has to come and kick people overboard then so be it. There is no time for sentimentality in football nowadays, as much as we may care for it, Ajax as a club has to go forward and the board wil have to make some decisions which people might not like but if it gets the club back to the top in the Eredivisie and in Europe then so be it.

[Kowalczyk]

You know what ? If Blind gets the CL spot, and the Cup, after trashing feyen@rd, and a not so bad performance in the CL, I think he will have been the most successful coach in a long time

Flabbergasted, me... :shock:

Don't know what to say. Thanks for your reply, Jamcocteau.

K.

[Philippe]

I guess you lost blind faith in Danny.

[Manneken Pis]

I guess you lost blind faith in Danny.

Au contraire....I think you retain "Blind Faith" in Danny.......

Unfortunately you are in the vast minority (coach not player).....

I'm very happy he will be able to leave with his head high (for his sake as much as the supporters)

I'm incredibly annoyed at the board for their (continued) amateur incompotence in leaking/announcing what they did when they did.....

BUT................................


He was NOT the guy to take us forward (the season proves that, not a last few games' spurt).

Just for the record:
- Getting to the Champions League is the MINIMUM we expect.
- Wining the Amstel thingy is like getting a kiss of off your sister.

He failed to evolve this team to the standards expected.

Sorry....but it ain't that complicated.

[Ayman]

Although it saddens me to say this, but most people are right, I just wish Danny Blind all the success in the future with his new club. I hope the fans give him a special fairwell. I just hope we dont end up with Van Basten, we should go for ten Cate, alot of players have respect for him, e.g. Davids, (hopefully) Landzaat, etc.

[DanK]

Although it saddens me to say this, but most people are right, I just wish Danny Blind all the success in the future with his new club. I hope the fans give him a special fairwell. I just hope we dont end up with Van Basten, we should go for ten Cate, alot of players have respect for him, e.g. Davids, (hopefully) Landzaat, etc.

I don't think van Basten will take over, he is still contracted with Oranje for sometime, unless of course we go absolutely crap in the WC :sad:

Agree though that ten Cate would be a great signing.

Oh yeah and so this fits into the forum. Ajax to draw in Groningen and go into the CL :yes:

[Kowalczyk]

- Wining the Amstel thingy is like getting a kiss of off your sister.

:D :D

Yeah. Like getting one Valentine's card.

From your mum.

K.

[jamcocteau]

- Wining the Amstel thingy is like getting a kiss of off your sister.

:D :D

Yeah. Like getting one Valentine's card.

From your mum.

K.

In the name of the wee man - your kidding :D

BTW how the hell did you kept back home so quick lol

[Stevie Super Samba Skillz]

I quite fancy Ajax to win this leg too - they've done better away all season, and are in confident goalscoring mood the last four matches.

Nice to see you guys again, Menno, Steve etc. etc...! (Stevie SSS = Andy)
How have you all been the last couple years?

[aveslacker]

Where have you been lately?

[Dubbel]

Although it saddens me to say this, but most people are right, I just wish Danny Blind all the success in the future with his new club. I hope the fans give him a special fairwell. I just hope we dont end up with Van Basten, we should go for ten Cate, alot of players have respect for him, e.g. Davids, (hopefully) Landzaat, etc.

Tell me Ayman, why must we go for Henk ten Cate? His resume is not impressive. He never lead a top team. Nor is he a big name. A lot of people support your view that Henk should get the job. I'll be glad to support his candidacy if you can only answer the question; why Henk? And no, the fact that Davids(?) and Landzaat(?) look up to him is not enough.

On the other hand; Van Basten, whom you mentioned, is a fenomenal personality. A genius. Also a true dictator who will mould our young players into shape. A guy with experience in the top as player and coach. A man who's a perfect fit with the Ajax culture. Somebody who will bring Cruyff back to thinking along with the team. A guy who has huge amounts of credit among friend, foe and media. One who is respected by every player in the game. A coach who looks for an attacking style with dominant football. In short, the perfect Ajax coach... While you're at it, please explain how you dare 'fear' that Ajax might end up with him.

If Ajax has the chance to sign Marco van Basten(and honestly, I don't think they do right now) and they blow it I would never forgive Van Geel. This is my opinion anyway. You obviously thought about this too so I'm curious what greater qualities you see Henk having over Marco.

[Philippe]

Change is needed or the Ajax we have known and loved is going to sink into the seas of mediocrity

Mediocrity is a state of mind, a lack of ambition. We reached the peak when Koeman said before the Bayern-Ajax game something like" do not expect too much from those young players, I don't think we can win this one". And we were humiliated in front of millions of people in the worst way I can remember as we lost 0-4.

Mediocrity is when, not so long ago, we needed to win the Cup to reach the UEFA cup for the next season (now we can relax and make jokes about this cup).

Mediocrity is when we were unable to avoid defeat everytime we played psv.

Mediocrity is when you get fans who hope the team will lose so the coach will be sacked.

[jamcocteau]

Change is needed or the Ajax we have known and loved is going to sink into the seas of mediocrity

Mediocrity is a state of mind, a lack of ambition. We reached the peak when Koeman said before the Bayern-Ajax game something like" do not expect too much from those young players, I don't think we can win this one". And we were humiliated in front of millions of people in the worst way I can remember as we lost 0-4.

Mediocrity is when, not so long ago, we needed to win the Cup to reach the UEFA cup for the next season (now we can relax and make jokes about this cup).

Mediocrity is when we were unable to avoid defeat everytime we played psv.

Mediocrity is when you get fans who hope the team will lose so the coach will be sacked.

This is all your opinion. Mediocrity in my mind is when you have a team of players out on the pitch who cannot do the basic things in the game correctly like simple passes and lose easily to inferior teams. Mediocrity is when a great club like Ajax and some of their supporters regards 4th postion and qualifying for the CL through the back door as being successful.

It is quite obvious that me and you see things differently but if you honestly think that this has been a good season for Ajax I am afraid you are living in some kind of dream world. Ajax for the major part of this season have been woeful, losing not only away but at home to opposition they should be wiping the floor with and certainly not playing an attractive brand of football. I do not want for them continue to struggle like they are doing at the moment - I want to see them winning the Eredivisie every year or at least challenging for the Championship not ending up 24 points behind the eventual champions. I want to see Ajax playing in the latter stages of the Champions League every year and doing so on merit.

And the last part of your posting re fans wanting us to lose, I very sincerely hope that that was not a dig at me especially as you seem to have taken a quote of mine to start your posting. If you took care to read through all the posts I have made, not once have I wanted us to lose a game so the coach can be sacked. So am not happy if that is a dig at me.

I might not have the blind enthuasiasim that you have but I am a realist - I have to sit in the stands for every home game this year and I will be honest it has not been pleasurable. I want to see Ajax return to be one of the best clubs in Europe and unfortunately at this moment in time I cannot see this happening with the current coaching and playing staff.

[Philippe]

If you took care to read through all the posts I have made, not once have I wanted us to lose a game so the coach can be sacked. So am not happy if that is a dig at me.

it is not
:aai:
The season has been bad till now, but it seems to me that it could end well after all, and the team has improved and is working in the right direction.

Blind has made mistakes, and has had really bad luck, with the many injuries, even at the very start with the missing of key players like Maxwell and Mitea, and sometimes with the referees (I know it sounds phoney but it's true, remember the psv-Ajax game). So it was not "lucky Ajax" but "unlucky Ajax" this season.

I assume that we now have a pretty good team, with strong striking power, and the final two games will be the final test. I think we are able to beat any team Dutch team, and we will prove it then.

In the CL, we did not look that bad against Arsenal ot inter Milan, in spite of the many injuries.

Blind does not belong to mediocrity, he tries to get his team to play the Ajax way.

[Stevie Super Samba Skillz]

Where have you been lately?

Last year, I was in China. I went back again a while this year. I never stopped following Ajax though, as Chinese TV has a sports programme that goes round all the European leagues.

[AjaxPDX]

Change is needed or the Ajax we have known and loved is going to sink into the seas of mediocrity

Mediocrity is a state of mind, a lack of ambition. We reached the peak when Koeman said before the Bayern-Ajax game something like" do not expect too much from those young players, I don't think we can win this one". And we were humiliated in front of millions of people in the worst way I can remember as we lost 0-4.

Mediocrity is when, not so long ago, we needed to win the Cup to reach the UEFA cup for the next season (now we can relax and make jokes about this cup).

Mediocrity is when we were unable to avoid defeat everytime we played psv.

Mediocrity is when you get fans who hope the team will lose so the coach will be sacked.

Or one might even say...

Mediocrity is finishing 4th in the league, the worst season in over 40 years, playing unattractive football the vast majority of time, and being content enough with these performances to proclaim the man in charge is "the most successful coach in a long time."

[SPL]

Nice to hear from you Andy, glad you have been spreading the Ajax word in China. I have still got your no so I will phone you some time.

If we win the playoffs it will probably mask over what has been a poor season.

I do not think all the injuries have helped and the fact that half the first team squad are going has helped . The only good thing that has happened is the signing of KJH. Without him we would now be playing off for a UEFA Cup spot.

[Philippe]

and being content enough with these performances to proclaim the man in charge is "the most successful coach in a long time."

that is a really tough competition :drecul2:

[Ayman]

Dubbel said:

Tell me Ayman, why must we go for Henk ten Cate? His resume is not impressive. He never lead a top team. Nor is he a big name. A lot of people support your view that Henk should get the job. I'll be glad to support his candidacy if you can only answer the question; why Henk? And no, the fact that Davids(?) and Landzaat(?) look up to him is not enough.

On the other hand; Van Basten, whom you mentioned, is a fenomenal personality. A genius. Also a true dictator who will mould our young players into shape. A guy with experience in the top as player and coach. A man who's a perfect fit with the Ajax culture. Somebody who will bring Cruyff back to thinking along with the team. A guy who has huge amounts of credit among friend, foe and media. One who is respected by every player in the game. A coach who looks for an attacking style with dominant football. In short, the perfect Ajax coach... While you're at it, please explain how you dare 'fear' that Ajax might end up with him.

If Ajax has the chance to sign Marco van Basten(and honestly, I don't think they do right now) and they blow it I would never forgive Van Geel. This is my opinion anyway. You obviously thought about this too so I'm curious what greater qualities you see Henk having over Marco.

Well firstly, Ajax isnt a club for an internship for managers to use as a stepping stone. Secondly we havnt won a european trophy in over a decade, clearly Blind is not the man, and I severly doubt that van Basten is either. I got a feeling that ten Cate is the right candidate to bring Ajax on the brink of greatness. I mean van Basten has charisma sure, but it will take him 4 or 5 years to bring Ajax back to the european odyssy, and Ajax fans cant wait that long, I got faith in ten Cate, and I hope the rumours are true

[Dubbel]

I got a feeling that ten Cate is the right candidate to bring Ajax on the brink of greatness. I mean van Basten has charisma sure, but it will take him 4 or 5 years to bring Ajax back to the european odyssy, and Ajax fans cant wait that long, I got faith in ten Cate, and I hope the rumours are true

So in spite of your enthousiasm about HTC you can't give me one argument why he is the right man for the job?

Even I can do better. Henk is from Amsterdam. His teams usually played attractive football. And he has a certain charisma that could work with the characters in our group at the moment. And being Rijkaard's assistent in Spain might prove a valuable experience.

However, HTC is still as much of a gamble as Adriaanse or Koeman was when they signed. Maybe even as much of a gamble as letting Danny stay. I remain unconvinced.

If both Rijkaard and ten Cate come then I'll be all for it. Fat chance of that though...