Fred GRIM.
Goalkeeper. Age 21 - born 17 August, 1965.
Own product.
Stanley MENZO.
Goalkeeper. Age 23 - born 15 October, 1963.
Signed from Haarlem in 1983. Dutch-born though his family
background is from Surinam. Better described as a
"goalsweeper" than a "goalkeeper" because of the way he is
prepared to defend outside his own penalty area. A sort of
black Bruce Grobelaar and on the brink of the national team.
Emile de HAAN.
Goalkeeper. Age 24 - born 15 May, 1963.
Own product.
Danny BLIND.
Defender. Age 26 - born 1 August, 1961.
Cast off as a teenager by Sparta Rotterdam without having
played a league game for them. Has two caps and his interna
tional debut in the 3-1 defeat by West Germany in Dortmund
in May last year.
Peter BOE VE.
Leftback. Age 30 - bom 14 March, 1957.
Signed in 1979 from Vitesse Arnhem. Has played more than
250 league games and made his international debut in the 2-0
defeat by England at Wembley in May 1982. Has 16 caps.
Desmond GEMERT.
Defender. Age 22 - born 29 September, 1964.
Signed in 1985 from amateur football.
Edo OPHOF.
Centre back. Age 28 - born 21 May, 1959.
Signed in 1980 from NEC Nijmegen. Scored the winning goal
on his international debut after coming on as substitute for
veteran Willy Van de Kerkhof against Greece in April 1981.
Has 15 caps.
Frank RIJKAARD
Sweeper/midfield. Age 24 - bom 30 September, 1962.
Turned professional with Ajax at 17 in 1980 and made his in
ternational debut against Switzerland in the autumn of 1981.
Has scored nearly 50 goals in 190 first division appearances.
Plays sweeper in front of the defence rather than behind and
also gets forward to score. Has 21 caps.
Sonny SILOOY.
Rightback. Age 23 - born 31 August, 1963.
Own product who signed pro in 1980. Made his international
debut in the 3-2 win over the Republic of Ireland in Dublin in
the last European championship qualifiers.
Ronald SPELBOS.
Centre back. Age 33 - born 8 July, 1954.
Has played more than 300 league games in a career which
brought him to Ajax in 1984 after spells with SC Amersfoort,
AZ67 Alkmaar, HVC Hilversum and Club Brugge in Belgium.
Frank VERLAAT.
Defender. Age 19 - born 5 March, 1968.
Promoted from the youth sections at the start of last season
and had made only three senior appearances apart from
playing in the Cup-winners' Cup final!
Aaron WINTER.
Defender/midfield/winger. Age 20 - born 1 March, 1967.
Turned pro with Ajax in 1985 and made his league debut as
substitute only in March last year in a 2-1 defeat by Roda.
Made his international debut as a substitute in the recent 1-1
European championship draw against Greece.
Alistair DICK.
Midfield. Age 22 - born Stirling, Scotland, 25 April, 1965.
Scottish youth international who joined Ajax from Tottenham
last year. Dick was a second leg substitute for Gary Mabbutt
in Tottenham's UEFA Cup Final defeat of Anderlecht in 1984.
Per VAN DER ZAAN.
Defender. Age 20 - born 13 November, 1966.
Promoted from the youth section a year ago.
Arnold MUHREN.
Midfield. Age 35 - born 2 June, 1951.
Arnold began with Volendam, established himself in the
Ajax first team after the departures of Johan Neeskens and
Arie Haan then joined Twente Enschede and was sold to
Ipswich for £350,000 in August 1978. His partnership with
Frans Thijssen and John Wark was responsible for the suc
cessful run which culminated in Ipswich's 1981 UEFA Cup
win. Muhren moved to Manchester United and then back to
Ajax two years ago - and is still a member of the Dutch na
tional team. Has 11 caps.
Arnold SCHOLTEN.
Midfield. Age 24 - born 5 December, 1962.
Signed last summer from FC Den Bosch.
Rob WITSCHGE.
Midfield. Age 20 - born 3 November, 1966.
A small, neat left winer who still managed to score with a
header against Zaragoza. Portuguese champions Benfica
tried unsuccessfully to sign him earlier this year.
Jan WOUTERS.
Midfield. Age 26 - born 17 July, 1960.
Surprise signing last summer from FC Utrecht with more
than 160 league appearances to his name. Cruyff values him
for the 'balance' he provides in midfield. Highly versatile
player who can appear at fullback, in midfield or out on the
wing. Made his international debut five years ago in a game
against France. Has 9 caps.
Michael PETERSEN.
Midfield. Age 22 - born 6 May, 1965.
Australian international signed by Ajax in the middle of last
season. Began playing in the youth section of Port
Melbourne, then graduated via Heidelberg United to the
1986 Australian champions, Brunswick Juventus. By the time
they won the title Petersen had already left for Europe.
Dennis BERGKAMP.
Midfield. Age 18 - born 10 May, 1969.
One of the youngest and most promising players at Ajax.
Brought up through the youth sections and turned part-time
professional midway through last season.
Petri TIAINEN.
Midfield/forward. Age 20 - born 26 September, 1966.
Current Finnish Footballer of the Year after inspiring Kuusysi
Lahti to the league title at the end of last year. Tiainen then
signed a three-year contract with Ajax, who hope he may
turn into a 'new Arnold Muhren'. Skilful but frail. Has 6 caps.
Jan SORENSEN.
Midfield. Age 32 - born 14 May, 1955.
Began in Denmark with Frem, one of the country's oldest
clubs. Made his international debut in 1977 and has since
wandered round the professional-game in Belgium and
.Holland first with Club Brugge then with Excelsior of Rotter
dam, from whom Ajax signed him this summer.
Frank STAPLETON.
Centre-forward/midfield. Age 31 - born 10 July, 1956.
Signed from Manchester United this summer. Stapleton was
bom in Dublin but was brought to England by Arsenal as an
apprentice. Turned professional in 1973 and scored 75 goals
in 225 league games before being sold to Old Trafford for
£800,000 in 1981. Has 56 caps.
John BOSMAN.
Striker. Age 22 - born 1 February, 1965.
Turned pro with Ajax four years ago and has proved a
dangerous attacking foil for Van Basten last season, top-
scoring with eight goals in the Cup-winners' Cup. Missed
the final however because of a two-match UEFA suspension.
Made his senior debut for Holland as substitute in a 3-1
defeat by West Germany in Dortmund last year. Has 3 caps.
Henny MEIJER.
Centre-forward. Age 25 - born 17 February, 1962.
Surprise signing this summer from Roda Kerkrade, where he
top-scored last season with 19 goals.
Erik REGTOP.
Forward. Age 19 - born 6 February, 1968.
Promoted from the youth section two years ago.
Ron RIJNINK.
Forward. Age 21 - born 2 October, 1965.
Promoted from the youth section three years ago.
John VAN'T SCHIP.
Forward. Age 23 - born Canada, 30 November, 1963.
Scorer of 20 goals in 110 league games and virtually ever-
present in the national team since making his debut in the 3-1
defeat by West Germany in Dortmund in May last year. Has 7
caps.
Walter SMAK.
Forward. Age 19 - born 13 April, 1968.
Own product.
Richard SNEEKES.
Forward. Age 18 - born 30 October, 1968.
Own product.
Rob DE WIT.
Forward. Age 23 - born 8 September, 1963.
Signed in 1984 from FC Utrecht. Scored the surprise goal
with which Holland beat Hungary in Budapest in the last
World Cup qualifiers. Suffered a slight stroke towards the
end of last year but is now recovering. Has 7 caps.
