tfCLia
but the team was not extinguished by far and the
following year too Ajax are the unchallenged
champions. The prolongation of the national title
set a new record. Never before had a Dutch club
won the national trophy twice in succession. But
then the peak-period was over. The'golden eleven'
was growing old. Ajax had to build up a new
team.
The architect: Jack Reynolds. All through the
twenties the Englishman pottered about, trying out
new talent, trying to mould the ideal team. It is
only natural that during that period no national
title came their way. The thirties were Ajax'
Golden Decennium. In this period they topped
the tables. Look at this list:
1930-1
1Ajax
2
Feyenoord
1931-2
1. Ajax
2.
Feyenoord
1932 3
1. Go Ahead
2.
Feyenoord
1933 4
1Ajax
2.
KFC
1934-5
1. PSV (Philips)2.
Go Ahead
1935-6
1. Feyenoord
2.
Ajax
1936-7
1. Ajax
2.
Feyenoord
1937 8
1. Feyenoord
2.
Heracles
1938-9
1. Ajax
2.
DWS
What a show of superiority! Five national titles in
ten years. Capacity gates filled the treasury.
Under the inspiring leadership of Marius
Koolhaas, now honorary president, plans were
worked out for a brand-new stadium. In
December 1934 the architect Roodenburgh put
the finishing touch to Ajax' new home, the
stadium where they still play their league
matches, for some time past furnished with a
ultramodern lighting equipment. For the
European Cup matches they prefer generally the
Amsterdam Olympic Stadium as it has a much
bigger capacity: 65,000 seats; the Ajax-Stadium
holds a crowd of 29,500.
Now back to history.
During the war years 1940-45 Ajax played second
fiddle in the 'emergency competitions'. The
German occupator had ravaged the club which
had many Jewis members. After the Second
World War there was a great revival. Young talents
came to the fore, e.g. Van Dijk, Potharst, Drager,
Van der Hart, Van Stoffelen and Michels, the
present Barcelona-trainer. In 1947 they recovered
sufficiently to win their eighth national
title. Then followed a long period of silence.
But exactly three years after the introduction of
semi-professionalism in the Netherlands, in 1957,
Ajax reached the top of the ladder again, as the
first champions of the new league! The ninth
'golden plaque' is their reward.
Owing to this Ajax made its first entry into the
struggle for the European Cup. They reached the
quarter-finals after beating Wismuth
(Eastern-Germany) by 1 —0 and 1 —3. But the
Hungarian champions Vasas obstructed the way
to further glory, after a draw in Amsterdam
(2 2) no change in Budapest 4—0.
Two years of lower results followed.
Then, in 1960, the Dutch championship was a
fact again. Due to the score 109 goals against 44
there were hopes for a longer entry regarding the
matches for the European Cup
Alas, it was ruinous.
After bad preparations they underated their
Norwegian opponents, Frederikstad, even more
badly and were eleminated in the first round. The
Norwegians won at home by 4— 1 and
snatched a goalless draw at Amsterdam.
Hereafter, there is a five-years backstage, during
which Feyenoord-Rotterdam (the traditional
'enemy'), PSV (Philips Eindhoven) and another
Amsterdam club DWS, were in the limelight.
Only in 1961 Ajax won the Dutch Cup. In this
connection they were incorporated in the
competition for European Cupwinners. But the
results against Ujpesti Dozsa (Budapest) were
disappointing the home-victory (2— 1was not
enough; in Budapest the Hungarian-team won by
3-1.
But in 1966, under the inspiring leadership of
trainer Rinus Michels, there was a glorious come
back. With great superiority Ajax bacame Dutch
champions and repeated this achievement for
the next two years, so that the championship
in 1968 could be mentioned as the hattrick!
Playing for the European Cup, Ajax in the first
round eliminated Besiktas2—0 (Amsterdam) and
2—1 (Istanbul).
Then Liverpool!
Generally nominated for the final, they came to
Amsterdam both self confident and rather over
confident. In a glorious, almost historic fogbound
struggle Ajax rose to great heights. Europe
trembled when the result was known, 5— 1
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