The ancient Greek mythological hero Ajax was renowned for his huge strength, courage and intelligence and had a major starring role in the epic battles of Troy, before ultimately committing suicide after failing to secure the mantle of successor from the vanquished Achilles.
AFC Ajax seem to be loosely following their mythical namesake for they too are renowned for their huge success, excellent football and high intelligence but now are very much the victims at their own hands.
FOUR times European Cup winners, the Dutch outfit last lifted the trophy back in 1995 and the events following their last European Championship have been repeated often in the subsequent 17 years. For despite their undisputed success and massive influence on the modern game, Ajax is without a doubt a selling club. A second tiered European team.
In the last 15 years they have only reached the knock out stages of the European Cup twice, not the sign of a truly big European super heavyweight club, and consistently witness their top talent being poached away from the Netherlands by richer, more competitive clubs in Europe.
That super-stellar line up that won the Cup back in 1995 comprised of van der Sar in goal, Reiziger, Rijkaard, Seedorf, Finidi George, Davids, Litmanen, Overmars, Kanu and Kluivert along with the de Boer brothers. The majority of these players found lasting fame at other clubs just a few seasons after bursting onto the scene with a surprise 1-0 success against AC Milan.
The reasons for this situation are all too obvious – money. The Dutch Ere division simply does not command the interest and therefore the finance to compete with La Liga, Serie A or the Premier League and without massive TV deals clubs simply cannot offer the huge wages now on offer at even the modest clubs in England. No-one can blame a player for looking to maximise his earnings and improve life for his family by seeking out riches abroad.
Despite this, Ajax still commands massive respect. In the last few years this has been because of more than just the legendary history and the influence of the great Dutch master Johan Cruyff, but also because of a new generation of influential ex-players taking charge of footballing affairs.