How Ajax rebuilt after ‘coup’ crisis

Ajax don’t have a club motto, but if they did it would have to be something like ‘Remember what you’re good at, even when everything seems to be falling apart’.

How Ajax rebuilt after ‘coup’ crisis

Ajax don’t have a club motto, but if they did it would have to be something like ‘Remember what you’re good at, even when everything seems to be falling apart’.

Tuesday’s historic win in the Bernabeu has all of Europe applauding the new generation of Ajax youngsters, while Real Madrid appear to have lurched into a major crisis. But it is not that long since the Netherlands’ most celebrated club was in a major crisis of its own. Almost exactly seven years ago, in March 2011, the club was rocked by a coup, masterminded by their greatest former player and Dutch football’s biggest legend, Johan Cruyff. Three key directors all resigned after a fallout with the man they had brought back as a technical consultant.

The Dutch are almost as famous for infighting as for ‘total football’, but this was spectacular even by their standards. Cruyff had a weekly column in the country’s biggest daily newspaper De Telegraaf, and in September 2010 launched a public campaign against the way the club was being run and specifically the neglect of youth development.

You’re either with Van Den Boog or with me, Cruyff allegedly said — referring to the general manager and former Ajax youth player who had been appointed to oversee a management reform.

Cruyff always denied using those words, or leading a coup: His aim was a reform that had been agreed but the board had never implemented, namely giving full authority to a strong technical director, and taking the time to develop youngsters with the right technical and tactical ability rather than buying in ready-made talent.

He wanted the club “to focus on the individual, because it is by training exceptional individuals that we will build a great team”.

After the coup came a rebuild, with a focus on strong technical leadership from former players, based at the club’s youth coaching complex, now known as De Toekomst (‘The Future’). The changes took time to work their way through. Cruyff died three years ago, before seeing them bear fruit.

But former players are now playing key roles: Edwin Van Der Sar is general manager, overseeing youth development, Marc Overmars is technical director.

And the spine of the side that overcame all the odds in the Bernabeu was forged at De Toekomst, including Frenkie De Jong, Matthijs De Ligt, Donny van de Beek, Kasper Dolberg, Andre Onana, and Rasmus Kristensen. The oldest is Onana at 22. There are also others to come, such as Ryan Gravenberch, who became the youngest-ever Ajax first-team player in September at the age of 16.

The club’s successful reinvention has not been just about having a top academy. They have also shown faith in their youngsters and have played them consistently. De Ligt made more than 20 appearances two seasons ago, when he was just 17, and was in the starting line-up against Manchester United in the Europa League final.

That same season he experienced a traumatic debut for the national team, his mistakes early on in the match leading to both Bulgaria’s goals in a World Cup qualifier. But last month he became the youngest player to captain a side in the Champions League knockout stage.

Ajax still have some way to go to become the youth production line of old. Just 28 of their trainees have made it into the ranks of sides in the top five European leagues. By contrast, there are 69 graduates of Real Madrid’s Valdebebas academy at the same level. Yet with that focus on exceptional individuals, Ajax have produced a remarkable young side. The question, as ever, is how long can they keep hold of their prodigies?

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