The LG Amsterdam
Tournament 200s
LG
INTRODUCTION
2005
a S ~T~ E R D
It is with a mixture of happiness and sadness that I welcome you all to the
"LG Amsterdam Tournament 2005".
My happiness is that, yet again, the LG Amsterdam
Tournament brings three of the world's most attrac
tive footballing sides to join AFC Ajax in the City of
Amsterdam. Further,thattheTournament will remain
in Amsterdam until the year 2008 with the signing of
a new three-year agreement with Ajax and supported
by a major new sponsorship through LG Electronics.
My sadness relates to the tremendous loss the Tour
nament has suffered in the past twelve months with
the sudden and untimely death of one of its founders,
Roger Broomhall.
Roger's association with The Netherlands started in
1952 as a 12-year old boy on a cycling holiday through
Holland. His relationship and great friendship with
Ajax started in 1993 when Ajax were invited to play in
The Makita International SoccerTournament at White
Hart Lane and continued with The Umbro Interna
tional Tournaments, staged at the City Ground, Not
tingham, in 1996 and Goodison Park, Everton, in 1997.
In 1998, an invitation was quickly accepted to come to
Amsterdam and continue in the footsteps of the 700
Tournaments.
Roger's desire was to bring an event which would
compliment Ajax's football pedigree, to what was
then the newly-completed Amsterdam ArenA. He
strove to do this by not only inviting the world's most
prestigious football clubs but also by bringing a mix
ture of flair and style that would make the event
stand out from any impersonators.
Under Roger's guidance, the Tournament has grown
into the most eagerly-awaited pre-season event in
the world, offering truly competitive football action
over one weekend and pitting Ajax against the likes
of Manchester United, FC Barcelona and AC Milan,
amongst others.
With Ajax being Tournament Champions for the last
four years, the challenge awaiting Arsenal, FC Porto
and Boca Juniors this year is mighty.
Arsenal rejoin us for the second consecutive year, fol
lowing their thrilling FA Cup victory over Manchester
David Broomhall (CEO),
The International Event Partnership
The connection between Ajax and Porto is strengt
hened bytheir new coach, Co Adriaanse,who won the
Tournament in 2001 with Ajax. Boca Juniors, spiritual
home of the legendary Diego Maradona, are perhaps
the best-known of South America's glamour clubs
and, as a former World Club Champion themselves,
will no doubt offer a significant test to their European
opponents.
The supporters of Ajax have taken theTournamentto
their hearts, with sell-out attendances con
firming its appeal and popularity. Footbal
l's global support has also welcomed the
Tournament, annually placing it and its par
ticipants in front of some 400 million tele
vision viewers in 130 countries around the
world.
In memory of Roger, I am pleased to
announce that the prestigious Amsterdam
Sports Award from the City of Amsterdam
will be dedicated to him for the "Player of
the Tournament". The presentation of the
Award will be made by Mrs Hester Maij,
Alderman of Sport, on the Tournament's
second evening during the official trophy
and medal ceremony.
I am happy that, this year, Roger's legacy to
us all here at the LG Amsterdam Tourna
ment continues through its magnificent
line-up of Ajax, Arsenal, Porto and Boca
Juniors.
United. Both Porto
and Boca Juniors join
us for the first time.
Porto's standing in
world football is
heightened further
by a recent Ajax-style
treble of National,
European and World
Club titles.
The LG Amsterdam Tournament is organised and promoted by The International Event Partnership,
Vesey House, Wylde Green Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B76 1OT, England. E-mail: info@ieptournaments.com.
Roger Broomhall
1940 - 2004
mil—11
vrij 29 juli /zo 31 juli
LG AMSTERDAM TOURNAMENT
