Dossier Ajax: War between JC and management

March 26th, 2011 | by: Jan |

bergkamp jc

It is crisis in Amsterdam. In the next couple of days, it’s Oranje that will add some joy to the football fans, we hope, but the national pride in club teams, Ajax, is in a sorry state.

The JC Clan had a head-on collision with the powers that be. The explanation given to the media by general manager Rik van den Boog fueled the rift between the two parties. Johan Cruyff in particular is highly annoyed. “And not just me. All members were extremely irritated.” Van den Boog has claimed the recovery plan as his own, according to Cruyff and Bergkamp/Jong. “They say that they were planning to do exactly as we said, but they are actually doing something totally different. If you pull these kinds of tricks I am really getting aggressive!”.

Cruyff, who wants to fire five people from the technical staff ( Danny Blind being one of the), laughs about Van den Boog’s comments that Ajax “is a warm club that doesn’t want to fire people like that”. Cruyff: “Bullshit. Last summer, Ajax fired eight people! So how does that work then? Van den Boog sells bullshit.”

Cruyff keeps on repeating his criticism: “Ajax is one big debacle right now. You’re blind if you don’t see this. And there is no one in the Board or management with a football background or vision. Even chair Coronel lacks it. He knows a lot about insurance, though. Important, but nothing to do with football….”

The legendary number 14: “Something needs to happen. I am not alone this time. Our team has played more than 2000 games for Ajax. Names like Cruyff, Bergkamp, Jonk, Molenaar, Rijkaard, Overmars, Molenaar…. It’s ridiculous that we’re slapped on the wrist by managers with zero football background. We will not stop until we have made the changes in the technical area of the club.”

Cruyff claims that the members will fire the management if they do not execute the plans put forward by JC and his mates.

blind boer

The Ajax supporters club has demanded a meeting between Van den Boog and Johan Cruyff. “They are making a mess out of this and it’s bad for the Ajax brand and the club that this is being done publically. They will need to work together until there’s consensus and stop slinging mud. The media enjoys this but Ajax fans are horrified by this.”

Former Ajax coach Aad de Mos knows it: heads will roll. “You can’t win against Johan, even if he’s wrong. Van den Boog and Coronel don’t have a chance. If you deal with JC you know he will claim total control. And if you work against him, you lose.”

Management and the board refuse to give the technical management to Cruyff. The latter claims: “We’re talking about football. We ( JC’s team) happen to know a bit about it. In management, no one knows football. They don’t know jack shit about it. For us, it’s logical that we do it. For them, it’s a power game.”

The Board and management released a press statement, saying they won’t relinquish power. The management is specifically unhappy about JC’s plans to promote Dennis Bergkamp to the position of manager youth development. Cruyff is livid about their position. “Unbelievable, unacceptable and incredible. The Board and Management will need to go if they stick to this.”

Cruyff presented his plans last week in Amsterdam. Ex-players like Rijkaard, Van Basten, Schoenaker and Boeve helped the former coach and playmaker in his plans. The number 14 wants to give the steering wheel to Frank de Boer, Dennis Bergkamp and Wim Jonk.

Van den Boog doesn’t like the disrespectful way Cruyff wants to deal with people – like Blind – at the club. “We don’t want a revolution. We’re doing well at certain aspects in the club. We need to give the youth development the space to develop but it needs to be done in a controlled fashion. Johan’s plans are fine. They sort of come out of the long term plan we have at Ajax. The way we execute those is the problem. We will adopt Johan’s plan, but it’s not going to be directive. Johan is too much of “you must”… That doesn’t work. Ajax is a big club and a big company. It needs to be run professionally.

Dennis Bergkamp was shocked to hear that the Ajax management put JC’s ideas aside. “This is weird. I’m shocked. We’ve worked on this for months. We have a team of great ex-players who are passionate about this and want to give time and energy to the club. Today, Ajax is mediocre. We need to change that. Ajax can use their best ex-players to help accomplish it’s objectives. This response is disappointing.”

Van den Boog is disappointed too, though. “You can’t bring a list on Thursday evening with names that need to go and then tell me to fire them the next day! I don’t work that way. And Johan and I are still good mates personally. I think we agree in basic terms. But if we can’t fix this, than we will have to say goodbye to Johan. If we lose the number one and two ex-players, too bad. We still have number 3 and 4 and 5…. This is Ajax. It’s about the club, not about Cruyff.

Head coach De Boer wasn’t even informed that Cruyff wanted to sack his assistant coach Danny Blind. Rik van den Boog suggested this last Friday. “Frank is happy with his team. And he determines what his team looks like. Isn’t it weird that no one asked him anything? We are talking about the captain of the 1995 team that won the CL for Ajax. And scored the winner in the World Cup. And played more than 300 games in our jersey.

Hoofdcoach Frank de Boer van Ajax wist niet dat zijn assistent-trainer Danny Blind zijn baan op last van Johan Cruijff en zijn volgelingen Dennis Bergkamp en Wim Jonk op zeer korte termijn zou verliezen. Dat liet algemeen directeur Rik van den Boog vrijdag doorschemeren in het NOS Sportjournaal, een dag nadat Cruijff met zijn technische werkgroep frontaal in botsing was gekomen met de Amsterdamse clubleiding.

Van den Boog wants to keep the dialogue open. “Listen, we are responsible and we need to pick the best team. If Johan starts to damage people around him, we will move on and find other ex-players who are willing to help. My interest is the club. If we’re voted out, so be it. That’s reality. Other than that, when I’m still in charge I will follow my policy and plans.”

jonk

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 54 comments.

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By J. | March 27th, 2011 at 8:06 am

I have a main complain to make here about JC and stuff: JC was never able to really do smth on his own for Ajax all these years. Just give the guy a fckng chance to do so, just ONCE. He is not going to live forever u know… We are talking about JC here that comes once in a lifetime. Let him do his thing. Remember that the best team in the world right now, is a team-cruyff, plays his way, follows his philosophy etc. Let him do something for Ajax too. Does anyone here have doubts that he will not succeed? When was the last time he didnt when he put his mind to it?

Is not just about him, but I think this is a good chance of becoming a tradition at Ajax… Ex players being full time managers and directors at the club. So in the next 20 or so years, we could see Sneijder as coach, Bergkamp as manager and Vaart as technical director. It would be GREAT.

If it wont be so.. I think everyone at Ajax will regret it…

Posted from Greece

By ferenc | March 27th, 2011 at 8:33 am

i back JC – just remember how barca was in 2003 when laporta (and johan) took the power – they let him work and we can see the results. ajax is obviously not as rich as barca,but johan has already prooved that his strategy works (ajax could be the dutch barca,or – rather? – barca is the catalan ajax). if we look at ajax and consider the results of the post van gaal era,it seems evident that johan could be able to save the club. on the other hand,sometimes he should be more diplomatic…

Posted from Hungary

By danni | March 27th, 2011 at 9:29 am

Douglas? I’m not racist, but, Holland dont need a brazilians on our national team. Douglas always said that he prefer play for Brazil, Holland always was their second choice. We dont need him. Our future is safeguardad with a dutch national produt like Bruma, Vlaar or De Vrij.

UP HOLLAND!

By danni | March 27th, 2011 at 9:29 am

UP HOLLAND!

By Tiju | March 27th, 2011 at 9:58 am

@jan i felt it like that,it may worth a double penalty or single penalty…but he clearly exaggerated it.

By Finnster01 | March 27th, 2011 at 10:14 am

@Tiju: Stop making things up. That was a stone called penalty. VanPersie would never even imagine to do something like that, right? I wish Robben did and we would have been the current WC champions.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/arsenal/article6850132.ece

By Alex | March 27th, 2011 at 10:42 am

@danni, I obviously dont agree with you at all. On so many points, and so many ways, De vrij is 19, Bruma too.. and Vlaar is mediocre at best, wont cut it at international top level.. Id take Douglas anyday..
If he gets his passport, for me he’s Dutch, who do you think make up the US population, they were all immigrants..
Its not that easy.. black or white imo..

Posted from Netherlands

By J. | March 27th, 2011 at 10:49 am

About Persie, I think he suffers from his weak frame on his upper body. Out of curiosity, I was checking Oranje’s players height and weight the other day.
u can find all of them here: http://www.soccerway.com/teams/netherlands/netherlands/

Persie is a lightweight. The most lightweight player I would guess, at least for a guy his height.
184 cm
69 kg!!! This is rly a WTF? case..
And its his fault, because one maybe is born that way, but you don’t let yourself suffer like this for it.

Every defender can push Persie around with ease, and get him out of balance. And his body structure doesn’t even help, because he has a high center of gravity. We all saw such a case with Juan at the quarters of WC.

Thats why (among other things), Persie cant play in the lone striker role.

Posted from Greece

By danni | March 27th, 2011 at 11:25 am

I prefer a mediocre player like Vlaar( I dont think he is a mediocre), but, that he feels the nation, than a very good player of other country that just use our nation for their profit. Douglas will never reach a Brazilian national team, so, he takes advatange of the oranje jersey! I dont want a national team like Portugal with 3 brazilians in their squad at WC. I know that we live in a globalization era but I totally disagree with naturalizations on football world, Douglas come to Holland with 20 years old, his desire is play for Brazil, Holland is his second choice.
Holland never needed this, always been able to produce their own talents, in future will able too. This is my point.

By sonneveld | March 27th, 2011 at 11:34 am

Do you think anyone gives a shit that Marcos Senna played for them in the euro 2008 victory?

NOPE

By Srinjoy | March 27th, 2011 at 12:53 pm

I can see where Danni is coming from but anything too make holland undisputably the best team in the world is good, so douglas, and maxwell should both play for holland!! Btw van Bommel is out for Tuesday what do you guys reckon the team should be? same line up as the other day, I personally would like van Nistelrooy and ELia to get more of a look in, they are genuine class, one provide genuine trickery and pace and the other genuine finishing!

Posted from Bosnia And Herzegovina

By Srinjoy | March 27th, 2011 at 12:55 pm

Our world cup 34 squad haha!
Goalkeepers

G. van der Meulen
108 years old
0 0
Defenders

Mauk Weber
97 years old
0 0

Sjef van Run
107 years old
0 0
Midfielders

Puck van Heel
107 years old
0 0

H. Pellikaan
100 years old
0 0

W. Anderiesen
107 years old
0 0
Attackers

F. Wels
102 years old
0 0

L. Vente
99 years old
0 0

J. van Nellen
101 years old
0 0

Kick Smit
99 years old
0 0

Bad Bakhuys
101 years old
0 0

Posted from Bosnia And Herzegovina

By danni | March 27th, 2011 at 1:37 pm

So, you mean that, if the others do this, we have do too? I dont care with the shit that they(Spanish,Portugal etc) do… I dont think so…

Btw, for the next game, BvM should give rest to Kuyt, Sneijder and maybe Mathijsen to give confidence for Vlaar, he need and deserve a chance. Lin-up: Vorm-Wiel-Heitinga-Vlaar-Pieters-De Jong-VdV-Afellay-Van Persie-Elia-RVN!

By eric | March 27th, 2011 at 3:30 pm

A janitor who has stayed in the Netherlands has a legal law to obtain his citizenship, that’s how I understood the Dutch immigration law. Douglas has been in the country for 5 years, so I don’t see why he should be denied his right. It’s not like he gets special treatment or anything (read: Kalou accelerated case prior to WC 2006). Besides, Douglas is actually marrying a Dutch girl (who is pregnant with his baby). When he does become a full citizen, his call up to the national team won’t be automatic. It’s up for him to prove his worth. If he does, I have no problem whatsoever with him in Oranje shirt.

Posted from United States

By eric | March 27th, 2011 at 3:32 pm

The first sentence should read: A janitor who has stayed in the Netherlands FOR 5 YEARS has a legal law to obtain his citizenship….

Posted from United States

By Albert | March 27th, 2011 at 8:28 pm

USA players workrate are pretty higher than anyother teams.Only barca is ahead of them in terms of workrate…

Posted from Netherlands

By OranjeFan | March 27th, 2011 at 9:18 pm

@J. I agree – I just don’t know how he’s going to get around the “corporation” and I would support him running the show completely. We’ll see if he can do it.

@danni: If you follow the rules and you are the “best” you should be able to play for Oranje.

WRT the Oranje vs Hungary – what a fascinating match.

We didn’t play 4-2-3-1 so much as a couple of other formations. As follows:

Afellay was all over the midfield and (when he didn’t loose the ball) seemed almost another holding midfielder. He did lots of runs across the pitch with the ball (and BTW when/if he learns to “step over” or “step around” his opponents without loosing the ball he could begin to look like THE “Nummer 14″). Unfortunatley he’s not there yet and if he keeps running into opponents instead of passing off, or skipping around them – he will be seeing injuries.
Because of this I saw a kind of 4-3-2-1 formation.

But then vPersie started moving well too – he dropped back, moved from one side of the pitch to the other and attacked with the midfielders alongside – this was good and I was happy to see him working this way. Along with the way Afellay was working behind him (until he was subbed off) Oranje almost looked like they were playing 4-3-3 !

Of course this is not “total football” – but with “mobile forwards” and only 1 holding midfielder the results are certainly interesting.

Only downside was the midfield breakdowns (Afellay mostly – trying to do too much possibly) – which gave Hungary turnovers and most of their best chances. Also overall with this lineup I don’t feel that solid steel defence that MvB with NdJ as holding midfield have given the Oranje team over the past couple of years.

They are not quite there to play they way they just did…

(Yes I did really say that!)

- What I mean is against a better side – those little breakdowns would likely have cost them the match.

OJF
Can’t wait for Tuesday
Posted from my PC

Posted from Canada

By Carlos | March 27th, 2011 at 11:17 pm

Eric you say “legal law” ? I thought all laws were legal ? What is an Illegal law then – Joking !!

Posted from Singapore

By hien | March 27th, 2011 at 11:33 pm

Sometimes JC reminds me of George W Bush. JC means “you’re either with us, or against us”. I’m not saying it is wrong, but he is no politician. George W Bush said “”Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.” Perhaps that’s why KVNB never let JC coach the national team, or else Orange probably won the WC in 1990.

Posted from Canada

By Carlos | March 28th, 2011 at 3:06 am

Arsenal has just made enquiries with Barca on…..Affelay ! He may move this summer. Good Move !

Posted from Singapore

By Finnster01 | March 28th, 2011 at 5:14 am

@Carlos: Well they should make Murphy’s Law illegal and we would have had 2 World Championships by now

I think Affelay is far too old and well known for Wenger to sign him, but you could have a point especially since he doesn’t play in goals or CB which is something Arsene ignores every year.

By Jake | March 28th, 2011 at 6:09 am

Another joke by goal.com, argentina drew usa 1-1, messi failed to score but included in weekly team

Posted from Australia

By Srinjoy | March 28th, 2011 at 6:11 am

we saw that vorm coped well in the spotlight, now its ten rouwelaars; turn to show us what he’s made of and whether he can handle the pressure of being number 1 in poland ukraine

By eric | March 28th, 2011 at 7:36 am

@srinjoy– Maybe I misunderstood your post, but.. why would we want Ten Rouwelaars to become number 1 in Poland/Ukraine? Stekelenburg is our no. 1 for years to come..

@carlos– LOL. Didn’t proofread my writing, but yeah, that tells you exactly why I am not a lawyer

Posted from United States

By Srinjoy | March 28th, 2011 at 1:37 pm

At eric, yes ofcourse you misunderstood my post, I meant that in Stekelenburg’s forced absense Vorm coped admirably so god forbid if for some Reason Steks was ruled out of 2012 than I hope ten Rouweelaar can stand up to the pressure of being number 1 of number 1 team in the world Although why Krul isn’t our automatic 2nd choice or atleast 3rd choice beats me