FM15: AFC Ajax - Unfinished Business

Ajax & History

Wikipedia will be a lot more extensive if you're after a bit more history/detail, here is a little summary.

Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax, also AFC Ajax or Ajax Amsterdam, is a Dutch professional football club based in Amsterdam. Historically, Ajax (named after the legendary Greek hero) is the most successful club in the Netherlands, with 33 Eredivisie titles and 18 KNVB Cups. Along with PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord, it is one of the country's "big three" clubs who have dominated Dutch football (and who are the only three clubs that have never been relegated from the top division.

Ajax is historically one of the most successful clubs in the world; according to the IFFHS, Ajax were the seventh-most successful European club of the 20th century. The club is one of the five teams that has earned the right to keep the European Cup and to wear a multiple-winner badge; they won consecutively in 1971–1973. In 1972, they completed the continental treble by winning the Eredivisie, KNVB Cup, and the European Cup. Ajax's last international trophies were the 1995 Intercontinental Cup and the 1995 Champions League, where they defeated Milan in the final; they lost the 1996 Champions League final on penalties to Juventus.

Ajax is also one of three teams to win the continental treble and the Intercontinental Cup in the same season/calendar year; This was achieved in the 1971–72 season. Ajax, Juventus, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea are the four clubs to have won all three major UEFA club competitions. They have also won the Intercontinental Cup twice, the 1991–92 UEFA Cup, as well as the Karl Rappan Cup, a predecessor of the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1962. Ajax plays at the Amsterdam Arena, which opened in 1996. They previously played at De Meer Stadion and the Amsterdam Olympic Stadium (for international matches).

Honours

National

Eredivisie: 33

‣ 1917–18, 1918–19, 1930–31, 1931–32, 1933–34, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1946–47, 1956–57, 1959–60, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1989–90, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14

KNVB Cup: 18

‣ 1916–17, 1942–43, 1960–61, 1966–67, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1978–79, 1982–83, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1992–93, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2009–10

Johan Cruijff Shield: 8

‣ 1993, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2013

International

Intercontinental Cup: 2

‣ 1972, 1995

European Cup / Champions League: 4

‣ 1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1994-95

European Cup Winners' Cup: 1

‣ 1986-87

UEFA Cup: 1

‣ 1991-92

UEFA Super Cup: 2

‣ 1974, 1995

Rangers First Centenary 1872–1972: 1

‣ 1972

Karl Rappan Cup: 1

‣ 1962

Facilities

Amsterdam ArenA

In 1996, Ajax moved to a new home ground in the southeast of the city known as the Amsterdam ArenA This was built by the Amsterdam city authority at a cost of $134 million. The stadium is capable of holding approximately 52,000 people. The average attendance in 2006/07 was 48,610, rising in the next season to 49,128. The ArenA has a retractable roof and set a trend for other modern stadiums built in Europe in the following years. In the Netherlands, the ArenA has earned a reputation for a terrible grass pitch caused by the removable roof that, even when open, takes away too much sunlight and fresh air. During the 2008–2009 season groundstaff introduced an artificial lighting system that has finally reduced this problem considerably.

Sportpark De Toekomst

Sportpark De Toekomst is a stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands. De Toekomst (Dutch for The Future), is a sporting complex comprising 9 fields located next to the Amsterdam Arena in the municipality of Ouder-Amstel. Sportpark De Toekomst seats 5,000 people, and is the location where the second string of Ajax Amsterdam play their matches Jong Ajax (Reserves) and Ajax Zaterdag (Amateurs), as well as the youth teams Ajax A-juniors (A1, A2), B-juniors (B1, B2), C-juniors (C1, C2), D-pupils (D1, D2, D3), E-pupils (E1, E2, E3) and the F-pupils (F1, F2, F3). It also serves as the training grounds for the AFC Ajax senior squad. Images of Jong Ajax and Ajax A1 at this site are regularly seen on Dutch television. The letters ajax, visible on the training sites main grandstand, were previously mounted on Ajax old grounds at De Meer Stadion.

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Goalkeepers

With the departure of Kenneth Vermeer to fierce rivals Feyenoord and the earlier loaning of third goalie Mickey van der Hart to Go Ahead Eagles, the last line of defense has been significantly rearranged since last season. Your number one goalkeeper is without a doubt Jasper Cillessen. This 25-year old Dutch national team stalwart has been Ajax’ undisputed number one (though still wearing the number 22 jersey) since october 2013, when he replaced Kenneth Vermeer after some dismal first team performances.

With Jasper Cillessen between the sticks, Ajax went on to win its fourth Eredivisie title and Cillessen went on to play a decent to good first World Cup. The Dutch team overcame all odds, finishing in the third place. Cillessen was a starter in all games, but remarkably, he was substituted off twice. The most memorable moment of the tournament was Germany beating Brazil 7-1, but a close second must have been Van Gaal bringing in Tim Krul for the penalty series against Costa Rica.

Vermeer’s replacement has come relatively costly. Diederik Boer has made a last minute transfer from PEC Zwolle for a sum rumoured to be close to 1M euros. With Ajax finances in check, the sum itself is no problem at all, rather the comparison with the sale of Vermeer makes the transfer peculiar, as Vermeer has been sold for close to the same amount. Boer has the makings of a traditional backup goalkeeper: experienced and willing to be benched in favour of a younger and more promising goalie.

Behind Diederik Boer is young third goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburgh. Leeuwenburgh is a towering and commanding figure who still has everything to prove. Young Leeuwenburgh is not yet good enough as a first team starter, but may well en route to a starting spot in the Eredivisie. If he can become a starter at Ajax is doubtful but he will no doubt prove key to your Jong Ajax side. Out on loan is former third goalkeeper Mickey van der Hart. He will be defending the colours of the Go Ahead Eagles. Though van der Hart

Concluding, you have a strong starter in Jasper Cillessen and a decent backup goalkeeper in Diederik Boer. For the foreseen future, you are well off. However, most younger goalies are decent with only a very small chance to reach the level Cillessen is currently at. Provided you are interested in taking the club forward, you could do with one or two promising keepers, to strengthen your youth team and to one day become a competitor to Jasper Cillessen.

Individual profiles

Needs no introduction. After one good season at NEC (who then still played in the Eredivisie), Cillessen was bought by Ajax for a reported sum of around 3,5 - 4 million euro’s. At first, he was the stand-in of Kenneth Vermeer and performed admirably when called upon, which were a handful of games in the Eredivisie and KNVB-beker. Late 2013, after essentially a few games in the 2013/2014 campaign, Cillessen permanently replaced Vermeer and quickly cemented his spot as the undisputed number 1 goalkeeper for both Ajax and the Dutch national team. Just a few months earlier, Cillessen was seriously contemplating leaving Ajax as he was poised to become backup to Vermeer for the third year in a row. All parties (sans Vermeer) are happy history turned out the way it did.

FM15 Player Profile

In FM15, Cillessen is the best goalkeeper in the Eredivise and by extent, of Ajax. Cillessen still has some potential left unfulfilled which makes him a very useful goalkeeper for years to come. Be mindful that his contract expires in 2016: extending against better terms is advisable.

Defenders

Ajax no doubt has a history of good defenders who bring something else to the table besides plainly marking a striker out of the game. The typical Ajax defender (think Krol, F. de Boer or Vertonghen) is also a player with the skills to play beautiful football, excelling both on and off the ball. And whether it’s the elegance and style of a Krol, the long range passing accuracy of Frank de Boer or Vertonghen’s dribbling skills, you will want at least one defender who is adept at playing football, instead of destroying it. That said, your defenders do of course need the same set of attributes that make a defender a good defender, such as marking, tackling and positioning.

The Ajax defense has come through the summer relatively unscathed. The starting line up has remained intact, with only our back-up left back (incidentally captain Daley Blind) gone. There has been one transfer in: Nick Viergever joined Ajax from AZ for a reported fee of around 1,5-2 million euro’s. Viergever is very flexible, able to play as a central and left defender and has also already played quite some games a sole defensive midfielder.

The right back position has not spectacularly changed: Ricardo van Rhijn is still the first choice right back, with Ligeon as his backup. Both players do offer a different style of play: Van Rhijn has originally played a central defender but due to his height has been a better fit at right back, while Ligeon is a hyper-offensive light weight right back. Behind Van Rhijn and Ligeon, rookie Tete is a very bright prospect, though you could easily turn Tete into a central defender should the need arise.

Joël Veltman seems the forerunner for the right central defender role. His main competition is Mike van der Hoorn, who joined Ajax in 2013. Veltman won the race, relegating Van der Hoorn to a spot in Jong Ajax and occasionally being subbed in. Veltman’s progress in the 2013/2014 campaign was remarkable. He started in Jong Ajax and after the transfer of Toby Alderweireld to Atletico Madrid quickly became a first team starter. He had a few stellar games, including Champions League games against Celtic and Barcelona and subsequently had his national team debut in october of the same year, against Falcao’s Colombia. Veltman was one of the three Ajax players in the Dutch team during the World Cup, returning to Ajax as a key player.

The left central defending position is probably the best position regarding squad depth at the club. The first team starter is Niklas Moisander, our Finnish captain. Stefano Denswil and Nick Viergever battle to be his backup: a game Viergever has edged out slightly because of his versatility, leaving Denswil to mainly play Jupiler League games. Number four left central defender Riedewald is arguably one of the bigger talents at the club and is also comfortable at the left back and central defensive midfield position.

At the left back position, Nicolai Boilesen is your first choice, though still prone to injuries. Boilesen, while lacking in pure defensive capabilities, is a great offensive wing back. You do not really have an appointed deputy but Viergever and Riedewald should suffice to lend cover.

Individual profiles

Ricardo van Rhijn started his career in the Ajax Academy as a central defender and was quite good at that, barring one small problem, his height. Being 180 cm is a tad small for a central defender and Frank de Boer wisely moved van Rhijn to the right back position. After first choice right back Gregory van der Wiel suffered a serious injury, Van Rhijn quickly established himself as a fine alternative and remained the first choice right back after the transfer of Van der Wiel to Paris Saint Germain. Though Van Rhijn played some WC ‘14 qualification games, he fell somewhat short of the Dutch squad, having been surpassed by Gregory van der Wiel, Feyenoord’s Darryl Janmaat and Augsburg’s Paul Verhaegh.

FM15 Player Profile

Ricardo van Rhijn is your undisputed first choice right back. Van Rhijn is pretty decent all around with some potential left to fulfil. Both solid defensively and attacking, he provides a good outlet for the ball whilst remaining competent at defending. Van Rhijn is also pretty versatile and able to play at right back as well as central defense. Because Van Rhijn has just penned a contract keeping him at Ajax until 2018, you can always use Van Rhijn in some capacity.

Ruben Ligeon seems the perpetual backup right back at Ajax. In the three years since Ligeon had his debut, he only played 12 Eredivisie games and a handful of European or cup games. That’s not to say Ligeon is a bad football player, au contraire: his U19 teammates thought he was the most talented player of the bunch and was a sure shot to become a first team staple. He has not yet fulfilled his promise and chances are he won’t ever become a first team starter, as promising backs Tete and Owusu, or even Lartey Sanniez and van Zweeden, are doing their best to close the gap. The 2014/2015 season is bound to be a deciding year in his career: either he develops a lot and ousts Van Rhijn, or he will get loaned or even sold.

FM15 Player Profile

In FM15, Ligeon does his best to live up to his apt nickname Speedy. His blistering pace coupled with decent technical attributes make Ligeon a great utility back, able to attack with more flair than Van Rhijn. Ligeon is defensively prone to errors, as his lack of strength, positional awareness and lack of defensive technical capabilities make him at best a liability. If you are able to develop these attributes, Ligeon may very well become a good right back, but it is improbable that Ligeon will ever become an undisputed first team starter, especially with Tete relatively close.

Kenny Tete has been making noise ever since he performed admirably in Ajax’ U17 team. His development has been steady ever since: having played only one year of U19 football instead of the customary two, Tete has been moved to the Jong Ajax team, which plays professionally in the Jupiler League, and has done well. Having played 26 games of professional football, Tete has quickly established himself as a player to watch. Tete is a right back by nature, a little more defensively minded than contemporaries such as Ligeon and Owusu, which also makes him an option to retrain him to a central defender, a position he has played at some times and is adept at playing.

FM15 Player Profile

In FM15, Tete already is a decent right back and you can probably get away with fielding Tete right from the bat, though not in the Champions League. Tete has bags of potential and if groomed properly, he will develop into a choice right back. As stated, you could retrain Tete and create an ace central defender, but with Veltman still young enough to last you a (FM) lifetime, there really is no need. Be mindful, as his contract expires in 2015. This is one player you surely want to keep on board.

Joël Veltman is living proof that determination to overcome obstacles is key to success. If you are able to read past this cheesy line, please enjoy Veltman’s following trajectory: as a player of the Ajax Academy, Veltman has at times been close to the exit. In his final U19 season, Veltman was struck with a horrible injury, which kept him at bay for over a year. After his recovery, most fans thought he was done for, but instead a few strong performances in the Youth League (against Liverpool and Barcelona) were a sign of times to come. After having had his first team debut, Veltman hovered between the first team and the Jong Ajax side. In the 2013/2014 season, Veltman started (alongside Cillessen) as a backup player and in the Jupiler League, in his case behind Toby Alderweireld. Another young player, Mike van der Hoorn, was signed to compete with Veltman for a first team spot. After Alderweireld’s move to Atletico Madrid, Veltman got his shot and performed immensely, with good showings against Barcelona and especially Celtic. He got his shot at the Dutch national team and kept Falcao at bay (though making a horrible mistake, it has to be said). He subsequently secured his spot for the World Cup and even got a few minutes of playing time, though as a backup to Ron Vlaar and Stefan de Vrij. Veltman returned a hero and as a key player, relegating Van der Hoorn to the bench.

FM15 Player Profile

In FM15, Joël Veltman is one of the better defenders in the Eredivisie. He should be your first choice right central defender, with competition out of sight. Veltman is a good no-nonse defender, though still a little light-weight. Veltman still has some potential left which indicates you can train him in various ways: if you want Veltman more adept at ball-playing football, you can train his technical capabilities, but if you want him in more of a destroyer role, training his strength, balance and marking should be a key concern. Veltman has a contract which expires in 2018 and in time could become a great tutor, so keeping Veltman at the club should be a no-brainer.

Mike van der Hoorn has a less-than-stellar debut season under his belt at Ajax. Brought in as the main competitor to Joël Veltman to succeed Toby Alderweireld, he was quickly obsoleted by Veltman’s superior play. The moments where Van der Hoorn did get a shot, he blew it. Defensively, Van der Hoorn is a force to be reckoned with: strong and towering, he can easily blow you away. His positioning and ball playing skills have quickly become the object of public mocking. It’s not that Van der Hoorn is necessarily a bad player, not at all, it’s just his style of play is so far removed from our ideal defender: it’s raising questions on if this player was scouted at all.

FM15 Player Profile

In FM15, Van der Hoorn is your backup central defender. He does not really have a future at the club. His potential is good enough for him to become a good Eredivisie player, but he will never be better than Veltman and it’s easier bringing in a more talented youngster to groom instead of keeping Mighty Mike around. You can probably still fetch a nice sum, though you might have to wait one season to really get a nice transfer sum.

Niklas Moisander is Ajax’ current captain, succeeding Siem de Jong. As captain, Moisander is an undisputed starter to your Ajax side and probably one of the better players of the team, perhaps the best defender of the Eredivisie. He is your premier left footed player, also at least comfortable at the left back position. Moisander is adept at the ball playing defender role, in real life often dribbling into the midfield and excelling in short range passing. Moisander, though aging, is still a staple to every current Ajax side.

FM15 Player Profile

In FM15, Niklas Moisander is at the top of his game. He’s a good tutor and will, in the foreseeable future, play your important games more often than not. Moisander is excellent in the Eredivisie and good enough for Champions League football. Chances are, with young Viergever, Denswil and Riedewald in the wings, you’re looking to move Moisander sooner rather than later. You could secure his services for a longer period, or just let his contract expire in 2015. Due to his excellent personality, it is advisable to keep Moisander around as a tutor.

Nick Viergever is Ajax’ biggest summer buy. Hailing from the revered Sparta Academy, he went on to join AZ and after paying a reported 2M to AZ, Viergever joined Ajax. Most Ajax fans expected an imminent sale of Niklas Moisander. Well, Moisander didn’t leave which caused the left central defensive position to instantly become to position with the most depth at the club and perhaps the Eredivisie. Viergever is adept at playing as a left back and central defensive midfielder as well, giving you great coverage options. Young Viergever has been capped once for the Dutch team, making his debut on the same day as Ricardo van Rhijn.

FM15 Player Profile

In FM15, Viergever is your second best central defender, slightly edging out Veltman. Where Veltman has the advantage of having a better right leg, Viergever is a great option at left back as well as a decent option at the central defensive midfield position. Though Viergever is already 25, there is still some potential yet unfulfilled. Perhaps you are able to turn Viergever into the Eredivisie’s best central defender.

Stefano Denswil is a well known player to Ajax fans, who has yet to have his definitive breakthrough season. Though he did very well in various games (think AC Milan at home), Denswil sometimes has mind boggling errors, often due to a lack of concentration. Denswil has an excellent left leg: he scored a free kick in his debut game and has showcased good long range passing skills and long shots. Denswil has every asset to become an ace defender who’s comfortable on the ball and destroys opposition. He is destined to be paired with Veltman, though Denswil still has that final stage in his development to complete. Denswil has been close to a call up for the Dutch squad already; a move many anticipate to happen somewhere in the next seasons.

FM15 Player Profile

In FM15, Stefano Denswil can easily be fielding in Eredivisie and cup games. The Champions League might still be a bridge too far. Denswil would benefit from tutoring, as his personality does not allow him to really spur on his development. It is beneficial for Denswil to get some playing time, so loaning him to a good side in order to aid his development might not be a bad move either, seeing as his position has enough good coverage. Denswil should become a staple in your Ajax side, so extending his contract should be a top priority.

Jairo Riedewald has a quite remarkable career trajectory, making his professional debut when he was still a player more than eligable for the U19 team; his first team debut just two months later and scoring twice (as a left back!) in his first Eredivisie game. This sensational feat (pulling Ajax back against Roda JC to 1-1 before deciding the game: 2-1) was pulled off in just 10 minutes. Jairo Riedewald has played a handful of games and even had his Champions League debut in last month’s game against Barcelona. He more than held his own and the expectation is that Riedewald will become a staple in the Ajax defense, somewhere in the following years. His contract runs out in 2018 which means we still have years to enjoy the player that is Jairo Riedewald.

FM15 Player Profile

In FM15, Jairo Riedewald already is a good player and giving him game time in the first team would not be a bad idea. Riedewald is simply too good for the U19 team and the Jong Ajax side would enjoy a player of his skill. Riedewald has good to very good potential, but he should at the very least become a backup player in your squad, with a chance to become an undisputed first team starter. With his contract until 2018, you won’t have to focus on keeping this player happy in the near future.

Nicolai Boilesen would’ve played for a top club in Europe already if it wasn’t for the various hamstring injuries he has suffered through his career. These injuries were at times career threatening, so the fact that Boilesen is still active as a footballer is something to marvel at. Boilesen made his national team debut after playing only a handful games at Ajax. Nicolai Boilesen is the only natural left back in the Ajax first team though he is also able to play as a central defender. Enough coverage options are available should Boilesen find himself injured yet again.

FM15 Player Profile

As said, Nicolai Boilesen is your only natural left back, but Nick Viergever, Jairo Riedewald, Niklas Moisander and Stefano Denswil give you a few good coverage options, at least for the short term. Even though Boilesen is a good option and even has enough developmental value to make him a first team staple, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to invest in a young and promising backup player with the ability to really move the squad forwards. Boilesen itself is a hyper offensive wing back with great technical attributes, decent (attacking) mental attributes and enough physicality to really put a dent in any opposing defense. He is defensively vulnerable, with weak positioning and his injury trouble are not completely pasts days. If you can keep this man of glass from breaking, you have a real gem on your hands.

Midfielders

Ajax has always relied on midfielders to link the different phases of play, to provide strikers and wingers with useful passes and scoring opportunities and sometimes score some goals. Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder were the last great midfielders to emerge from our Academy, but there is hope: some young and promising players are on the come-up!

Over the summer, some things have changed. Ajax captain and fan favourite Siem de Jong finally got his transfer to the Premier League: Newcastle United bought this player for a reported 8 million euros. Christian Poulsen, after two years at Ajax, moved back to Denmark to play for Copenhagen FC. And finally, cultured defensive midfielder and son of legendary libero Daley Blind got an amazing 17,5 million euro transfer to Van Gaal’s Manchester United. The sole replacement was Niki Zimling, a Danish midfielder with a history at clubs such as NEC and Mainz ‘05.

Especially the sale of Daley Blind was unexpected pre World Cup and a player such as Blind is currently irreplaceable. Because the defensive midfield position is of paramount importance to Ajax’ traditional 4-3-3 shape, not just any player has the capabilities to perform up to standards. Ideally, Ajax needs a player with the ability to shuttle the ball from defensive to the more attack minded players. This player also needs to be an outlet for both defenders and midfielders alike. Blind fit this description to a T, as did Vurnon Anita before him. With Christian Poulsen gone, Ajax has no true nestor of the team. Providing young players with the necessary professionalism, Poulsen was extremely important in the dressing room. Ajax hope rests on Niki Zimling: Frank de Boer and Lasse Schöne have high hopes. It is still too early to tell if Zimling can live up to the hype.

Three players are current forerunners for the two central midfield spots: Thulani Serero, Davy Klaassen and Lucas Andersen. Lasse Schöne is also very comfortable as a central playmaker, but has secured a spot as either a right or left inside forward. Lerin Duarte is also still at the club, though in recent times he has played more games for the Jong Ajax team than the first team. Riechedly Bazoer is a backup to the defensive midfield position, with the earlier mentioned Niki Zimling as loanee in front of him. Thulani Serero and Nick Viergever also have some games as defensive midfielder under their belt.

To conclude: Ajax midfield is far from stacked. Niki Zimling is on loan and Riechedly Bazoer has virtually no experience at the top level. Davy Klaassen and Thulani Serero seem to be the midfield couple, with Andersen a close second and Lerin Duarte a distant fourth. It is not a bad idea to strengthen the midfield, though various excellent prospects in the youth set up really obsolete any need to buy new players.

Individual profiles

Niki Zimling is the great unknown. Having joined on one of the last days of the transfer window, Zimling had a less than stellar career with clubs such as NEC, Club Brugge and Mainz ‘05. His very uneven performances earlier this season has kindled some doubt in the minds of football fans. Zimling has been lauded for his determined behaviour and his ability to break up attacking formations. It is still early (way) too early to judge Zimling by the performances we have seen, but it seems clear he has some adjusting to do to fit in.

FM15 Player Profile

In FM15, Niki Zimling is probably your number one defensive midfielder. Blessed with great mental attributes, such as bravery, aggression and teamwork, Zimling definitely has the traits to become the pitbull of your midfield. He has a good personality which aids you tremendously in tutoring promising youngsters. Niki Zimling is not yet in his 30s but the question is if he has a future at Ajax, at least in the long term. You can try to get his backup Bazoer up to an acceptable level suitable for first team play, or you can look to bring some other player in as a first team starter. I would advise against signing Zimling for a few million euros.

Riechedly Bazoer is the name of the player who made the controversial move from PSV to Ajax. Even after two years, it is still unclear what transpired between PSV, Ajax, Manchester City (who were also very interested in signing Bazoer) and of course Bazoer himself. The resultant is of course clear: Bazoer signed a contract at Ajax, was forbidden to play competitive games for his new club and has since become a player of the Jong Ajax side. Bazoer got his shot at professional football at an incredibly young age: when he was part of the U17 team, he was already training with the second team and he skipped the entire U19 age bracket. Even though Bazoer has yet to make his official first team debut for Ajax, he has already featured in a few pre-season and post-season friendlies.

FM15 Player Profile

In FM15, Riechedly Bazoer is perhaps the brightest talent already present in the Jong Ajax side. Bazoer has had his formative years as a central defender, but has in later years been pushed to a position on the midfield, in particular the central defensive position. Bazoer is already good enough to play some of the easier fixtures such as cup games and low reputation Eredivisie games, though I suggest not yet fielding him as a defensive midfielder in the Champions League. At least, not if you want to seriously compete.

Davy Klaassen is one of the class of ‘11, also comprising players such as Veltman, Denswil, van der Hart and Fischer. Together the beat Liverpool and Barcelona handily and advanced to the final of the Youth League. Klaassen captained this side and went on to become a first team player in the first half of the 2013/2014 campaign. After 10 goals in 26 games as a midfielder, Klaassen was awarded the Johan Cruyff Prijs for the brightest talent in the Eredivisie. Davy Klaassen has often been compared with the great Dennis Bergkamp, which I do not agree with. Klaassen lacks the great technique of a Bergkamp, though he certainly is very aware positionally, has a good first touch and has great bravery and work rate, reminiscent of a young Dirk Kuyt.

FM15 Player Profile

In FM15, Davy Klaassen is one of the three real contenders for a midfield spot. Though more an AMC in nature, he is very adept at playing as a central midfielder. His work rate, off the ball, first touch and bravery are outstanding, making him a good box to box midfielder. Technically, Klaassen leaves a lot to be desired: his technique and dribbling make him at best less adept at the Xavi or Iniesta role, in a traditional 4-3-3. Klaassen is not yet playing close to his full potential, so there still is enough room for him to develop into a player more of your liking.

Thulani Serero has never been able to convince all doubters, though he has a very specific skillset that makes him an addition to almost all midfields. Gifted with an incredibly frail physique, he is unable to win any sort of challenge whatsoever, though his quickness and agility do make him hard to catch. On the ball, Serero sometimes makes the wrong decision, but his ability to get out of troubling situations is uncanny. One of the more troubling features of play is his inability to hit a ball on target - or at all. Serero does excel in various aspects of the game, which can be summarized as linking play between defense and offense as well as being a tireless midfielder.

FM15 Player Profile

In FM15, Serero is a player you definitely want to field, as his agility coupled with decent playmaking and box-to-box skills make him suitable for various roles. He’s probably your best midfielder at the start of the game and pairing him with either Klaassen or Schöne will yield significant results. It’s probably best to keep your eyes open for a good replacement, as Serero is far from an ideal central midfielder and is best replaced a few seasons in. That said, Serero still has some potential left untapped.

Lerin Duarte has not yet made the impact he had hoped for at Ajax. Taking over the number 8 jersey from the giant Christian Eriksen, expectations around Lerin Duarte were somewhat mixed. Sure, he had played some great games for Heracles and sure, Duarte is technically quite sound, but at the same time doubts were raised about his ability to fit into the Ajax mold. One year later and it seems the naysayers were at least somewhat right: his first season was not the success story he had hoped for. In the 2014/2015 campaign, Duarte has been mostly relegated to Jong Ajax and chances are he’s moving clubs sooner rather than later.

FM15 Player Profile

In FM15, Duarte is part of your first team though he’s not the best midfielder at the club. Duarte is a useful backup and with some of the bright midfield prospects at Ajax, it might be best to sell him while you still can and make a little money in the process. Duarte does have its strong points, such as sound technical attributes and the ability to force a decision with his good set pieces.

Lucas Andersen is a very nifty player and is currently having a breakthrough season. Though Andersen had some problems adapting to living in the Netherlands and playing for Ajax, his skills, almost all technical in nature, have shone through. Blessed with great technique and a great first touch, Lucas Andersen is one of those players you can’t get enough of. Though a bit inconsistent, when he feels like it, his touches are joy to behold. He recently picked up his first goal for Ajax - in a Champions League game no less - against APOEL Nicosia (1-1).

FM15 Player Profile

Keep close track of Lucas Andersen. He might already be good enough to start and he’s able to play a great many of positions, such as (A)MC and AM(LR). Andersen shines when his technique is accounted for, but he does have some weaker sides to his game. His physique is needs to be taken care of and if you can get his mentals up a notch, you have a great player for your save. Andersen has a lot of potential and can become an undisputed key player to your side - at least the foreseeable future.

Attackers

Ajax has a great many of attacking players eager and ready to play first team football, though only a few of them are truly already fit to play Champions League games. You may very well find yourself lacking that one great player. Some mutation have taken place over the past few months: Jody Lukoki has joined PEC Zwolle and captain Siem de Jong, central attacking midfielder by vocation yet occasional striker, went off to join Newcastle United. Loanee Bojan went back to Barcelona and was subsequently sold to Stoke. Ajax signed three new attacking options, while also promoting some youth players. Arek Milik joined Ajax from Bayer Leverkusen with an option to buy. Richairo Zivkovic, Dutch/Serbian wonderkid of FC Groningen, joined Ajax for a reported 2 million euros. And finally, Croatian youngster Robert Muric joined Ajax after a tiring legal battle with his former club Dinamo Zagreb.

Kolbeinn Sigthorsson and Arek Milik are your top contenders for the sole forward role, with new and promising youngster Richairo Zivkovic trailing them. Sigthorsson is a known face for people who follow Ajax while Milik is somewhat of a mystery. Milik has quickly made an impact, with various goals in the Eredivisie and a stunning six goals against an amateur side in the KNVB-beker.

Ajax does have great potential at the wings, with Viktor Fischer, Ricardo Kishna, Robert Muric and Anwar El-Ghazi. Lasse Schöne is deserving of a first team spot and with his versatility, you can field him at both flanks and even as a central or defensive midfielder. You still have Tobias Sana, who is not good enough for the first team and will never become a first team player, though he’s good enough to feature in the Eredivisie should the need arise.

All in all, you do not necessarily need to sign a new player to bolster your attack. If you are willing to give your available players a chance, some will develop into top class individuals. You might look to offload a few players who do represent some transfer value yet are not deserving of a first team spot. Tobias Sana and perhaps Kolbeinn Sigthorsson spring to mind.

Individual profiles

If you have played as Ajax before this edition, you are probably already familiar with Kolbeinn Sigthorsson. He came to the Netherlands at a young age and after a good season with AZ, he was transferred to Ajax for a reported 4-5 million euros. Sigthorsson hasn’t really made his mark, because his first two seasons were marred with bad injuries and his third season was substandard taking into account various indicators. Ajax and Sigthorsson wouldn’t have minded parting ways in the past transfer window, but Sigthorsson couldn’t find the club he was looking for and Frank de Boer likes Sigthorsson enough to name him starting striker, ahead of Arek Milik. With his unsuccessful transfer period came a new contract extension, keeping him at the Amsterdam ArenA until 2016.

FM15 Player Profile

In FM15, Sigthorsson has some very specific qualities while lacking other important ones. Kolbeinn Sigthorsson is your a-typical Ajax striker, large and lumbering and some qualities while in the box yet does not have the technique to really become a long term option for your coveted number 9 spot in the team. As a backup he is good enough to last you some time, though it might be profitable to just get rid of him and his salary.

Arek Milik is one of the new faces at Ajax this season. On loan from Bayer Leverkusen, Milik has quickly shown to have an incredibly strong left foot, though his right foot is only used when he is standing on it. Milik already had a great reputation in Poland which increased to superstardom after scoring one of the two goals in Poland’s first victory against Germany ever. At Ajax, Arek Milik has had a mixed start: many believe he’s a great addition to the team and would rather see him start than Kolbeinn Sigthorsson, though his first performances were a bit lacklustre. Only very recently, it was revealed that the option to buy is just 2,8 million euros.

FM15 Player Profile

In FM15, Arek Milik already is a good player for the Eredivisie and has the potential to become a great Eredivisie striker of perhaps top quality. Signing him is not a bad idea, though you can also opt to give promising youngster Richairo Zivkovic a chance. Milik is quick for his length and his technique allows him to be more than just a goal scoring machine. These qualities make Milik more of a typical Ajax-striker than companion and competition Kolbeinn Sigthorsson. All in all, Milik is an interesting new addition to this year’s Ajax side: what you do with him is up to you.

I might edit your existing stuff to add a couple pictures and format it so it is easier on the eye

Thanks for getting it up though, sure everyone will be pleased to have an Ajax thread to post in!

I concur Ty, it's just good to have a place to share this years Scandanavian themed Ajax save. Good effort Chef.

Excellent stuff, I will be starting an Ajax save soon as i do every year, just enjoying my original Beta save with Leverkusen at the moment. I will contribute to this thread.

Just a public service announcement: Due to very unforeseen business in my personal life I was unable to do this thread properly this year. I was asked to just post what I had already finished, but as you can tell it's lack a lot of background, context, formatting and pictures.

If anyone else wants to finish this thread or replace it, I'm fine with it.

Thank you for your efforts, hope your real life gets sorted soon!

Slowly but surely editing my way through it

Should have it fully done before the nights over.

Slowly but surely editing my way through it

Should have it fully done before the nights over.

Great effort, thanks a lot Ty!

Great effort, thanks a lot Ty!

Had to edit your 'disclaimer' post to fit in the attackers, might edit mine as well to add more in about the staff/academy we'll see.

Have you got any profiles on Schone, Fischer, Zivkovic, Kishna, El Ghazi, Muric? :o The only ones you was missing.

My Ajax save will be my main one this year. so I look forward to contributing here

I've just finished my first season a few days ago and I'm enjoying the side.

Ty. If needed I can make some profiles for those players except for Muric. Don't know much about him tbh

Yes! I've been looking forward to this year's AFC Ajax thread. Will probably start an Ajax save very soon and, hopefully, it will be very enjoyable once more.

Great opening post(s)

As always will be starting an Ajax save on FM'15. Must say the likes of Kishna, Nouri and El Ghazi look promising. From what I gather keeping talents like those 3 will be harder due to the fact that most of them will ask for a minimum fee release clause. Should be a great tweak to the game, in FM13/14 the Dutch competition could get boring pretty quickly.

Good work Ty, looks great.

Can't wait to get started with Ajax(and my other 97 saves!) I have so many Scandinavian bargains to go along side Ajax's wealth of youth talent.

I've just started a game with Ajax, also made a new SI account as my old one had too many cringey threads/posts. I'll try my best to update as much as I can but I've just started university recently and I'm not sure if I can contribute as much as I'd like too.

Anyway, I was struggling before the save started about which formation/tactic I should use and in the end I went for a 433 (1DM) formation based around a short passing game, as the save progresses and I get the players I want, I'll go more in depth with the player instructions etc.

I am looking to utilise the young players at the club and help them reach their potential such as Anwar Al Ghazi, Ricardo Kishna and Richairo Zivkovic and to win as many trophies as I can.

Pre Season and Transfers

I've just completed pre season and my transfers seem to be done and dusted for the season ahead. No huge signings apart from Lucas Romero for £7M and Suso on loan, also managed to sign two talented youngsters as well; Kristoffer Ajer and Bilal Ould-Chikh

Pre season was decent, could have been better if Lucas Romero didn't get injured for 3 months in the match against Copenhagen and if we didn't lose to Espanyol but pleased with how the team played. Also happy to have won my first trophy with a win in the Dutch Super Cup.

Good start. It's always nice starting out with a trophy. even if its just a supercup

Good start. It's always nice starting out with a trophy. even if its just a supercup

Yeah, it nicely rounded off pre season! How did your first season go?

Started my first save with Ajax. Won the season on the last day, with PSV keeping me on my toes throughout the season. Was getting ready for the second season, and then I had my first Football Manager 2015 crash! Lost nearly 4 months so I won't be going back to the save unfortunately. Things I learnt that can be useful for anyone interested in starting an Ajax save:

- Play Zivkovic. I was playing a 4-2-3-1 wide formation and he spear headed the strikeforce brilliantly. Nearly a goal a game.

- Sign Romero. I played him as a box to box in a 2 man midfield or a half back in a 4-5-1 away from home. Bought for £6m, sold for £25m the next summer. A must buy.

- Try and keep Fischer and Kishna happy. Both play LW, both are amazing. Try and rotate them to keep them happy.

Enjoy the save though. You shouldn't have to spend a lot of money with the quality that you can produce in the Jong side and U19's.

Half way through my first season at Ajax and it's going quite well in the league and cup. Not so well in the Champions League.

With just the two defeats and a draw, I'm very pleased with how things have gone but also disappointed with the defeat against AZ as I conceded a last minute goal against when I went all out attack in search of a win. All in all, it's been a solid start but I expected that with the squad I have at my disposal.

(Please do tell me if I'm doing the whole posting/layout/links wrong or if it's difficult to read or follow. I've never really posted in the team/player threads in the past and it's the first time I really thought about updating the progress of a save on the forums)

Nice guide but where is Richairo Zivkovic and all the wingers? Also you called Boilesen Riedewald

(Please do tell me if I'm doing the whole posting/layout/links wrong or if it's difficult to read or follow. I've never really posted in the team/player threads in the past and it's the first time I really thought about updating the progress of a save on the forums)

Nothing wrong with your story, thank you for sharing

Yeah, it nicely rounded off pre season! How did your first season go?

Quite well actually

I'm planning an update this evening

Nice guide but where is Richairo Zivkovic and all the wingers? Also you called Boilesen Riedewald

I can only edit what was infront of me, I don't know enough about the Ajax squad to do profiles on the missing players.

Not much happened on the transfer market this season. I sold Van de Hoorn because he would have been my fourth choice CB after Moisander, Veltman and Denswill. I rather have a youth player there so I promoted Bazoer to the first team and bid my farewells to van de Hoorn.

The transfer of Duarte is much the same. He would have been a usefull player to be sure but he was in Anderson's way, so off he went.

The transfer of Leeuwenburgh was a though decision. There are a number of talented GK's in the squad and I can't accomedate all of them. I had to decide on either him or Nous.

The only transfer in is Javier Escobara. Costing nearly 4M he was quite an expensive buy, considering he was attracted for squad depth more than anything. I didn't have any 'real' left footed wingers. Javier gave me that option. He didn't play there often though, I prefer Inside forwards but was devastating the times je did get the chance. At the same time I'm retraining him to a complete Wingback. He still has some problems with the position but I'm sure That will be sorted out next season.

The first game of the season was a walk in the park. Zwolle didn't see much of the ball as we beat them comfortably 3-0

Table Fixtures

Champions! with five points clear of our nearest rivals PSV.

We started slowly with 2 losses and a draw in the first 5 games. After that we gained momentum and eventually ran away with the league. The games against PSV were crucial. Not only do those wins directly cover the gap between us but the timing of the wins couldn't have been better.

When we met in November, PSV were 4 points ahead of us. A kiss there would have meant a serious blow to our title aspirations. We won 5-2. And in march we beat them again, this time 4-2 eidening the gap from 3 to 6 points. With four games to play we certainly weren't clear yet but it could only be a matter of time from that point untill we could lif the championship for the fifth year in a row.

We had an easy run untill the Semi final where Vitesse took us into extra time. The final against Utrecht was one of the more dominant performances of the whole year though the score line (2-1) doesn't reflect it.

Table Fixtures

To say I was gutted would be an understatement.

We started well enough. winning at home against Celtic, drawing away to Benfica an narowly losing away to Juventus are all good results. Then we went to Turin and played brilliantly beating the Italians 4-1. Qualification for the knockout phase was withinn reach.

But we choked. We drew at home to Celtic and lost to Benfica while we had the chances to win both of them.

We Won! We actually won. I still don't know how. We could have gone out (should even?) in every round.

In the first round we turned a first leg deficit of 1-0 by scoring twice very late in the second leg.

Second round and the Quarter final were very similar. Thight afairs were the oposition was just a bit better but we went through on away goals.

In the Semi finals we met Borusia monchen Gladbach. In the first leg they beat us soundly 3-1. I hoped the away goal would help me but I feared we were all but out of the tournament. A quick goal for us in the second leg gave me hope but just before half time they scored the 1-1. Still we battled on, scoring the 3-1 late in the game. I was preparing for extra time when Denswill decided to score his most important goal of his young career deep into stoppage time. We were through to the final.

There we met PSG. As all the Europa league games it was a tight game. Not much happened on either end for 120 minutes. we scored our five penalties. PSG missed their fifth. We won the Cup!

For later seasons I'll do a proper youth intake update. For now I just want to show off the first big talent comming through the ranks

Nick van Dijk

I have high hopes for the lad

Your season was great, with minimal signings too. I tried clicking on the links but none of them working though?

Same here.

I finally got Vaclav Cerny for my Roma save - he's phenomenal. Highly recommend you make sure you put a lot of time into developing him. The Czech Robben!

I finally got Vaclav Cerny for my Roma save - he's phenomenal. Highly recommend you make sure you put a lot of time into developing him. The Czech Robben!

I messed up with offering him a new contract and before I could even do something Arsenal had already got him off me in January. He was developing pretty well too.

Your season was great, with minimal signings too. I tried clicking on the links but none of them working though?

hmm strange. I'll look into that

Edit: Done. The links should work now

I started my annual Ajax save a week or so ago. First season went alright; won the league at a canter with 6 games to go. And finished third in my UCL group of Bayern, Monaco and Basel - one point behind 2nd placed Monaco duly went into the Europa League and reached the quarter finals there before being beaten by Arsenal. The Dutch Cup was the only real disappointment having reached the final only to be beaten by Twente - grrr. My only signing in the first season was Lucas Romero, who it's no secret, becomes an absolute beast - he's the lynchpin of my midfield and a steal at £5M.

I'm halfway through the second season at the moment, trailing PSV at the top by a single point in the league. The UCL has gone better though, qualifying in second place in a group consisting of Atlético, Shakhtar and Liverpool - who finished dead last with a single point - which came against me. I've been drawn against Juventus in the next phase, so fingers crossed.

Signings wise I made the loan deals of Zimling and Milik permanent, and added another forum favourite in Balanta to my squad. After signing Balanta I didn't have much of my transfer budget left so I had a look to see who was out of contract and noticed Roberto Pereyra was a free agent, so I snatched him with both hands. I also signed Sergio Roberto from Barcelona for £2M after he was transfer listed by request. Balanta, Pereyra and Sergio Roberto are all mainstays of my first team now - with Zimling and Milik very much back-up.

My team looks something like this:

---------------------Cillessen

---------------Veltman--------Balanta

van Rhijn------------------------------------Boilesen

-------- -Pereyra---Romero---Sergio Roberto

Schone---------------------------------------Kishna

----------------------Zivkovic

Schone is the main man in my team, leading goalscorer, leading assister, captain, set-piece specialist. Everything goes through him. Zivkovic is really coming along as well, having already been capped by Holland a few times; scoring a couple in the process.

Nice seasons for you both.

I was wondering if anyone noticed a lot of injuries with zivkovic. The report doesn't say anything about injury proneness, so maybe i'm just unlucky. I'm almost at the halfway point in my second season and he has struggled with fitness for most of 2015. Before that he was on fire though. Scoring for fun from aml as a inside forward

Nice seasons for you both.

I was wondering if anyone noticed a lot of injuries with zivkovic. The report doesn't say anything about injury proneness, so maybe i'm just unlucky. I'm almost at the halfway point in my second season and he has struggled with fitness for most of 2015. Before that he was on fire though. Scoring for fun from aml as a inside forward

Yes, Zivkovic is quite often injured in my save as well. Currently half way first season and he had 3 injuries so far. One 6 days, one 2 weeks and one 3 weeks.

Edit: and another 2 weeks out due to an injury. No wonder I'm looking for another striker..

I'll post an update on my save later.

Nice seasons for you both.

I was wondering if anyone noticed a lot of injuries with zivkovic. The report doesn't say anything about injury proneness, so maybe i'm just unlucky. I'm almost at the halfway point in my second season and he has struggled with fitness for most of 2015. Before that he was on fire though. Scoring for fun from aml as a inside forward

Can't say I've had the same problem with him. Are his stats randomly generated each save?

I checked the editor. He has a minus potential. So yes, some of his stas are randomly generated

I checked the editor. He has a minus potential. So yes, some of his stas are randomly generated

Minus potential has nothing to do with randomly generated stats. Zivkovic does indeed have a minus potential but most of his profile is filled in and as such will not be randomly generated. Only very few attributes have not been filled in.

Ok thanks for clearing that up

Injury proneness must be set to 0 which means he will be different for everyone.

Injury proneness must be set to 0 which means he will be different for everyone.

Correct sir.

Thats a very busy transfer window, but I think you came out ahead. Providing yor signings gell

I had a similar window (preparing an update now) though not that extreme.

That CL group is horrid though

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I lost four of my best performers of last season, plus Sigthorson.

I'd tried to sell Sigthorson for the entirery of last season and now finaly someone was willing to take him. Another good piece of buiseness in my eyes is the 3.8M for de Sa. The player had no future whatsoever with me.

That's where the good stuff ends though. From the end of last season players have gone up to me asking for transfers. I've managed to convince some of them to stay with empty promises but not all were so easily convinced.

Viergever was the first to go. He had shared the DM position with Zimling last season and done very well for me there. I've let Zimling return to his club so with both gone I needed a new DM and none of the youth players was ready for 1st team spot. Bazoer is the closest but he needs some more time.

So in came Daniel Amertay. At 5.5M he seems cheap.

The next to leave was Veltman, my best CB by far. He started moaning in the days leading to the europa league final, leading to a morale crisis I just barely got sorted in time. I knew I couldn't keep on to him and accepted various offers. At the last moment Chelsea came in with a much improved offer. the amount can rise to 22M depending on veltmans performances.

The transfer that has hurt us the most is perhaps Kishna's. He was the most consistent performer last season. Only Schone had a higher average rating. Earlier in that year he had extended his contract but had demanded a 14M release clause. I accepted reluctantly and now PSG came in and snatched him up.

Schone wanted to go to Roma since the winter break. I accepted the offer once it came. He isn't the youngest and players like Klaasen and Anderson are ready to step up. This is the one transfer I'm at peace with. All parties win I think.

Our only other signing is, of course, Milik. He played well throughout last season and was often decisive in the big matches.

To complete the squad I promoted Nouri, Riedewald, van de Bruggen and Becker to the 1st team. I hope they can step up.

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I'm at the beginning of september and some games have been played of course.

The super cups went as expected. I beat PSV for the third time in a row. 4-1

Real was to strong for us in the euro supercup, and i'm not disapointed with a 3-1 loss

Meanwhile our league start wasn't the best. Neither was PSV's bit their only win was against us, so not much room to gloat for me.

The CL draw happened just recently and I'm pleased. Zurich, Olympiakos and Valencia. I'd say we would have every chance to qualify for the first knockout round

You got really good money for your players. Did your youth academy produce anyone good?

Your CL group looks quite simple, you should qualify with little problem!

Never managed in Holland, but Ajax is tempting.

What's the score regarding rules, is there a cap on foreign players? Can you sign non-EU players? Etc

Cheers

You got really good money for your players. Did your youth academy produce anyone good?

Your CL group looks quite simple, you should qualify with little problem!

In season 1 i had four players in the youth intake I signed. One espescialy is very talented. At 17 he could certainly play for me in the eredivisie. But not yet in the CL

And yeah that group should be easy.

Never managed in Holland, but Ajax is tempting.

What's the score regarding rules, is there a cap on foreign players? Can you sign non-EU players? Etc

Cheers

I think the only rule is that you can't sign any non EU U18's

I was part of the Ajax thread last year and tonight I start my FM15 journey with them. A lot of good updates In here this year, karax your doing very well with sales, that was my greatest success last year. It's also very similar to how Ajax have operated in real life the last couple of decades and how I plan to operate.

Promote.. Develop.. Sell.

Here it is, as promised my first season update.

Transferwise not much happened in the first transferwindow.

I bought Eder Alvarez Balanta as I expected to need another defender and let's be honest, it's a good player and an even better investment, further signings were Martin Odegaard, I approached him blind on day 1 of my save, as he's one of the biggest talents out there and I wanted him for my team. After agreeing he would join on 1/1/2015.

And my final signing was Matias Kranevitter (a cheaper Lucas Romero) also joining on 1/1/2015.

First priority was to start thinking of how I wanted to play and what kind of tactic would be suitable;

Main tactic

Back up1

Back up2

After having sorted the tactic, I were to choose a main team, this is the team in February 2015, normally Andersen plays in the position of Kishna, but he's injured for a couple of weeks now. and Veltman normally plays in the position of Moisander.

Gettin the following teams drawn in the Champions league wasnt funny;

The results weren't that fantastic either;

Resulting in a 3rd place and an exit into the Uefa Cup

The Supercup went better;

And results in the cup are so far ok;

As are the result in the competition; I had a lot of luck in the competition as at least 4 wins should have been lost or draws, but I'm not complaining.

In the January transfer window I sold Duarte en Serero as both of them did not feature in my first team plans and made the deal with Milik and Zimling permanent.