RAFAEL
VAN DER VAART
rxpected as it was
Icomed.
x's domination would
itinue for two further years
h Italian giants Inter and
entus overcome to earn
:hel's side the first
opean Cup hat-trick since
fabled Real Madrid side of
1950s.
)ly, both Neeskens and
jyff were to depart the
owing year, lured by the
res on offer in Spain, and
x's period of domination
s to come to an end. But
legacy was established
i formed the basis of the
tch national side's World
p final appearances in
74 and 1978.
m being one of Europe's
>rans, the Amsterdam
b had become one of the
rat names in continental
rtball and their role in the
/ancement of the
beautiful game would never
forgotten.
vas another 14 years before
ix would win another
•opean trophy and this time,
great Cruyff was a coach
t a player. He led his team,
luding the prodigious Marc
n Basten, to a European
rs Cup triumph
erman side
Leipzig in 1987.
oall was back in the
ice again, and this
ined 12 months
hen the national
von their first major
ly - the European
impionships.
club level Ajax
?ached the Cup
Winners Cup final
again in 1988,
only to lose to
Belgian side
Mechelen. Four
though, there was
irware in the trophy
=r Torino were
i the UEFA Cup final
e a clean sweep of
lub troDhies.
The Ajax Academy
was once again
producing players of
the very highest
quality and in 1995
Louis Van Gaal led a
team containing vetera
favourite Frank Rijkaarc
and brilliant teenage
prospect Patrick Kluivei
the club's fourth Europ
Cup triumph.
Once again, an Italian side
were overcome with AC Mila
avenged for that defeat in
1969. A year later they
returned to the final, only to
lose to Juventus - Italian
mastery over the Dutch
for the first time in five
major finals.
Once again, Spanish
plundering weakened the
squad and Ajax have yet to
enjoy any further European
success. Nevertheless, the
production line of young
talent continues to roll and a
domestic level at least, they
remain the benchmark.
Today, Ronald Koeman bring
a young but highly talented
squad to England with name
familiar to connoisseurs of
European football. Rafael Va
der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder,
Wesley Sonck are all
established Dutch
internationals and Zlatan
Ibrahimovic was a stand out
player for Sweden at Euro
2004 grabbing a cheeky
equaliser against Italy that
contributed to the Azzurri's
early elimination.
Though Ajax may not have
the bottomless pit of
resources to always challeng
at the very highest level, the'
remain a watchword for you
development and technically
proficient football. This is a
Club that shines like a beacc
for all those supporters wear
of the cash that dominates
the beautiful game.
Their history is one of
achievement and great pride
Their future may yet provide
more of the same.
TOMAS GALASEK
