After watching this 18 year old again last it reininforced my belief that he is potentially the most exciting midfield prospect I have seen for years. Last night against Celtic he was immense for an Ajax team whose average age at one period of the game was 20years. He is now the white Edgar Davitts, competetive, pacy, strong on the ball,control and vision excellent. In fact the Ajax team for eighty minutes had Celtic chasing shadows, they scored a superbly worked goal but overall lacked penetration up front. Sounds silly I know but the inclusion of a big target man would in my mind affect their natural game . I really enjoyed their type of football, Chivu (20) remember him best left back at last World Cup, capt of Rumania played central def and never put a foot wrong. If and a big if this team is still together in 2 years time they will sweep the board , no bout a doubt it, c`mon Stevo you kept this kid quiet, Cruyff move over !!!!

-- Anonymous, August 23, 2001

Answers

Ajax Plaudits

-- Anonymous, August 23, 2001

I mentioned him and a couple others about 2-3 years ago on the comminicata board. The others I mentioned were Saviola - just joined Barca for god knows how much, Aimar - now of Valencia and a certain Denilson.

At the time these players were only 15-16 years old. Maybe I should apply for a scouting job, of the footballing kind, not the toggle sort!

-- Anonymous, August 23, 2001

the chances of us getting the liesk of Saviola, Aimar and Denilson when they are 15 year old is slim cos of the work permit thing. Van Der Vaart would have been an excellent one, give him 4 years and he'll be one of the greatest midfielders ever.

It's these sorts of players I wish we would go for. So what if we pay 3 or 4 million for an 18 year old. If they are proven ability at that age then they should only get better and if and when the time comes to sell you are guaranteed your money back, probably 10 fold!

-- Anonymous, August 23, 2001

Perhaps we could get Nobby the Greek to adopt the 15-y-o's?

-- Anonymous, August 23, 2001

Certainly a possibility. Why not smuggle these 15 year olds across and get the players to adopt them. A perfect sacrafice for the amount they earn!

-- Anonymous, August 23, 2001

Doesnt Spanish and Italian clubs sometimes but South American players and let them stay there for a couple of years. When they have developed into the players they want they bring them over.

-- Anonymous, August 23, 2001

Buff- Robson travelled over to Nijmegan to see Ajax away against NEC last season to run the rule over Van der Vaart. Not that there was much chance Ajax would sell him, nor the other midfield prodigy Cedric Van der Gun whom missed the Celtic match through injury. Completely agree, great talent -although its blasphemy in this house to compare anyone with Cruyff.

Behind the scenes, however, things are not at all well in Amsterdam. Coach Co Adriaanse (arrogant, authoritarian former school-teacher) has pissed off too many people, opening match of the season saw them drop points at home + Co jeered by home support, now out of the Champions League they play arch-rivals Feyenoord away on Sunday who are in good form (Hooijdonk + JDT who actually scored a hat-trick last week). Should they get a batttering Co may get the chop.

Plus their super-modern ArenA ground is an unmitigated disaster, no atmosphere + major design fault - grass doesn't grow in doors. They've relayed 20+ pitches in 3 years but it won't hold, causes injuries, and the players prefer playing away. The bulk of the team are non-Dutch, + not a single Ajax player in the Dutch squad pre- England game (+ weren't they magnificent in that first half). This season at least the Dutch competition looks a straight fight between Rotterdam's least attractive club, and the sporting wing of the Philips corporation.

-- Anonymous, August 23, 2001