Article on AJAX youth academy NY times

[Slava]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/magaz ... cer-t.html

I recommend reading this for avid footie fans. Amazing story on what goes on at each stage of a players' development at probably the best youth academy in the world.

[5DOM]

Bookmarked the link, and just read it now.

It was a good read. Thanks

[_SRV_]

Probably the team that got screwed over the most by the bosman rule, their peak that I remember was their 94-95 teams who won the champions league and reached the finals next year, their whole roster was a star in every position, and they played one the most beautiful games. They haven't been as successful since.

[treiz]

Great read. It's a bit sad though, that Ajax has become more of a business rather than a football club.

[TheAdmiral]

Great article. They definitely have the best youth academy in the world.

[Munchlaxatives]

Great read. It's a bit sad though, that Ajax has become more of a business rather than a football club.

Part of it is out of their hands. The league isn't strong enough for players who want a challenge, but like the article says, the sale of Sneijder lets them be able to keep guys like Van Der Wiel and Suarez.

[TheAdmiral]

I am not sure how much longer Suarez is going to stay with that team, but it would be great if he'd stay (at least in the near future).

[Slava]

I think Ajax revolutionized club football in more ways than one and they have produced better players than any other acaedmy in the world.

Ever since they created the total football approach they started producing one great attacking player after another. The part that sticks with me in that article is how cut throat the competition is from such a young age.

From what I know in England, kids don't take things seriously until they are atleast 15 but at Ajax they could throw you out at the age of 10 if they think you're not making progress.

[azapikoa]

Great article. They definitely have the best youth academy in the world.

Nowadays the Barca's is the best one.

[and1GS]

Good read. I like how John O'Brien commented on it, totally forgot that he played at Ajax.

My question thought is do they ever plan on competing at a CL level? I'm guessing their plan is to sell off young players until they amass enough funds to get proven guys through the transfer market to pair with new youth players from their own system, and then they would presumably be able to keep their young guys. But after reading that article I'm not so sure that they have any idea what they should do other than develop talent and sell it off.

[Slava]

The dutch league isn't what it once was with Ajax/PSV and Feyenoord all being European challengers so I assume its pretty tough to get proven talent as well as keep who they have.

[and1GS]

Ya the article was saying how there's a ton more money in advertising and TV contracts in the major leagues but you'd think they could persuade the Di Marias of the world to come over. By that I mean second tier guys with potential.

[Foye]

Ya the article was saying how there's a ton more money in advertising and TV contracts in the major leagues but you'd think they could persuade the Di Marias of the world to come over. By that I mean second tier guys with potential.

I don't think so.

Other than Bayern Munich no club here in Germany can pursue prime or even 2nd tier quality players. It's even harder to do that in the Eredivise then. Nobody who has already made a name in European soccer will come to the Eredivise in their prime. Clubs like Ajax, Benfica or Porto have to buy or recruit them through their youth system before those young talents made a name in Europe. Otherwise they'll not come to them (until they're old ).

[and1GS]

Ah that sucks, just the nature of the transfer market I guess.

[treiz]

Great read. It's a bit sad though, that Ajax has become more of a business rather than a football club.

Part of it is out of their hands. The league isn't strong enough for players who want a challenge, but like the article says, the sale of Sneijder lets them be able to keep guys like Van Der Wiel and Suarez.

I know, the Bosman rule really effed them up. I'm just saying they were a great club once, will we ever see them back to prominence? Probably not in my lifetime to be honest.

[treiz]

I think Ajax revolutionized club football in more ways than one and they have produced better players than any other acaedmy in the world.

Ever since they created the total football approach they started producing one great attacking player after another. The part that sticks with me in that article is how cut throat the competition is from such a young age.

From what I know in England, kids don't take things seriously until they are atleast 15 but at Ajax they could throw you out at the age of 10 if they think you're not making progress.

The thing is in here, if you don't really start taking it seriously by the time you're 12-13, those are the guys that usually don't even get a trial in all fairness. Unless they're a super talent.

[Slava]

I think it might be down to the fact that you need to be 16 to sign a pro contract in England while you can do it at 14 elsewhere in Europe.

[treiz]

Yeah that does play a part, and this "lateness" does cause the kids to really take it seriously late on. I've played with many people who I believe can play at least semi-pro, but they never took it seriously until they reached 15-16, and even then that's too late.

[Munchlaxatives]

I played against a 12 year old kid who just blew by all the kids my age (around 17 at the time) and was technically the best player I'd ever seen. He said he'd been offered deals by Arsenal, some teams in Mexico, and 2 or 3 teams in South America. There was not even a sniff by any American team or academy.

[and1GS]

MLS really needs to up their scouting. They're starting to improve with small youth systems for each team but it will take a long time before you see the MLS scouting young players outside of the US.