[FM24] The Ajax Way

[SteinkelssonFM]

Given my love for developing talent from within...cue the shameless plug of my blog which featured in 'The Byline' called 'How to nail Youth Development in FM23'. I wanted to choose a club for my FM24 save which would enable me to delve a little deeper into youth development and hopefully provide you, the reader with some more insightful content.

After weeks of carefully reading up on multiple clubs, I found myself stumble across the following articles 'The academy spotlight: Ajax and Barcelona' and 'How a development model of promoting and selling early is keeping Ajax, PSV and Dortmund at the business end of the game', both of which are published on These Football Times.

This led me down a very deep rabbit hole, thanks to the breadth and depth of available literature on AFC Ajax, which I will include some enjoyable pieces at the end of this blog.

The development of youth has been a fundamental pillar for the club, one which has also seen dividends for Dutch Football on the whole, given that at any given time, it is estimated that up to 35 footballers playing in the Eredivisie have received an education at Ajax’s academy.

For those of you who are SI Forum regulars, you will note that Cleon posted the topic 'Ajax Youth Development - When The Real World Meets Football Manager' which was his interpretation of the Ajax blueprint. This series 'The Ajax Way' will act as my very own attempt to delve into the core pillars which have been fundamental to clubs philosophy.

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PLAYING PHILOSOPHY

The Ajax system is based on the Rinus Michels 70’s system of ‘Pressing Football’, where the team must press forward when in possession of the ball and press the opposition when the opposition is in possession of the ball. Louis van Gaal added his own philosophy to this style of play.

As you can see from the above attribute comparison, the current squad are not well aligned to this system, holding a natural fitness, and stamina average which sits only just above the Eredivisie average. I would expect Ajax to be in the top percentiles for both of these attributes, which I feel are key to playing the Ajax way.

The natural fitness attribute is a measure of how well a player can recover condition between matches, and avoid jadedness caused by matches and training. Whilst the stamina attribute is an indicator as to how well the squad can maintain condition while exerting effort during a match. The higher a players condition, the better he will perform any action.

Physical attributes essential for the Ajax way DNA: Natural Fitness, and Stamina

Ajax must also play captivating football as the essence of the game lies in entertaining the fans. Their style should be unique and easily identifiable, surpassing the prominence of their jerseys. Additionally, the club's academy should be acknowledged as fundamental, with half the team comprising homegrown talents. These players must excel not only in Eredivisie but also on the grand stage of the Champions League.

The Ajax system is attack-oriented, prioritising forward passes. If not possible, sideways and then backward passes are preferred. The approach encourages 1 v 1 situations across the field, demanding strong technique against tight marking. Ajax players need superior individual skills compared to direct opponents.

Above I am looking to see how the squad compares to our opponents with regards to Passing, Technique and First Touch. Three fundamental attributes to playing the Ajax system. You will note that in these areas the current group of players excel, providing me the assurance that we should be well equipped to both playing the ball out of defence and take a patient approach in the final-third, by working the ball into the box.

Technical attributes essential for the Ajax way DNA: First Touch, Passing, and Technique

Finally, players must create space for themselves and teammates, moving after gaining possession. Defensively, upon losing possession, immediate pressing is crucial. The closest player to the ball engages the opponent, while others take covering positions to intercept passes.

When reading the above paragraph and thinking about player profiles, three things came into my mind. The need for ajax players to both be intelligent and consistent with regards to choice of action, Ajax players will need a strong mental profile.

There is still a need for a little 'Je ne say qua' which is where the flair attribute plays its role, I want players to have a natural talent for the creative and unpredictable, football should entertain.

Off the ball there is a need for individuals to be willing to work to their full capacity, going above and beyond the call of duty, hence the importance of work rate.

Mental attributes essential for the Ajax way DNA: Anticipation, Composure, Concentration, Decisions, Determination, Flair, Teamwork, Vision and Work Rate

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DE TOEKOMST

De Toekomst was founded in 1900 and over the better part of a century it has produced players, coaches and a brand of football that has unlocked new layers and levels in the game.

The identity of the club is really important, Ajax are not a buying club, they are a club which focuses on producing young players. The youth academy (De Toekomst) is the base of the club, which when translated becomes apparent, as it means The Future.

'We should only pay transfer fees for a player who is special, who very clearly fills up a gap in the team that an academy player cannot.'

Without Ajax, it can be argued that Barcelona's football factory, known as La Masia, may not have the attacking football culture and systemic set-up that has produced some of the best players in modern football. Indeed, the source of the Barcelona model is credited largely to Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels. Ajax are synonymous with development of young and complete footballers from a technical and tactical perspective.

De Toekomst has played an integral role in providing a constant supply of talent to the senior team, this is reflected in the clubs average age of 22.6 years, making them the youngest club in the Eredivisie.

 At Ajax, technical ability is more important than raw power and athleticism, especially at young ages. The staff at Ajax, many of them former professionals themselves and products of the academy, assess each player and decide if they fit the model and have the mentality to be tied to a youth contract.

Above are some fine examples of homegrown talent, products of De Toekomst, which have been sold on for significant fees. The academy at Ajax is special. There are few clubs, if any, that can boast such an influence on player development the world over and a roll call of stars that the Amsterdammers can. For this reason, ajax will always be synonymous with championing excellence in all things - and it starts with De Toekomst.

THE SYSTEM

The numbers on Ajax players' shirts hold significance, denoting distinct positions and responsibilities. This system is consistent from youth to senior teams, fostering familiarity. Young players can easily identify their role models among the senior team based on shared positions.

A young player at the club will know which player in the first team plays in his position, and this senior player will be his role-model.

'We want to get footballers to a higher level faster, so they don’t have to get used to the Eredivisie for two years. Players will receive individual training from a certain age. Every player needs to be treated differently.’

Every Ajax youth team is made up of a squad of 16 players, There are no additions to the squad during the season. The squad is :

2 - Goalkeepers.

4 - Right footed players for positions 2,6 and 7.

4 - Left footed players for positions 5,8 and 11.

3 - Players for positions 3 and 4.

3 - Players for positions 9 and 10.

This is something which I will endeavour to maintain across the save, ensuring there is a clear pathway for individuals and ensuring that sufficient game time is secured, a factor which we all know aids development.

The typical Ajax player in any age group has to show four basic principles in his profile as a footballer: technical actions, tactical principles, motor performance and mental skills, and these form the modern Ajax player.

I will be looking to use the Jong Ajax side, who play their trade in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football, as my pathway into the first-team. One of my next posts will expand on how I decide if a player is ready to be integrated into the first-team squad, which I hope will be of value.

THE T.I.P.S. MODEL

Ajax demand four fundamental requirements from all the young players at the club, which is known as the T.I.P.S. model.

T-Technique is the number one requirement for an ajax player, all Ajax players must be technically good with the ball. The Ajax way is to play in the oppositions half of the pitch, this means players playing in tight space, which means that the player must be able to play using good technique.

I-Intelligence/Insight - Football intelligence is vital for the ajax style of play. Ajax players must be able to understand instructions and follow out these instructions. Ajax players must know what to do with the ball in given situations, such as when to hold on to the ball, and when to release the ball. They must know how to create space and when to move into space.

P-Personality is necessary for a team player. Players need strength of character and leadership qualities. The club looks for personality in players, to see if they are confident, if they can influence other players, and most importantly if they can work within a group. Ajax players must be able to gel with the other players in the team and not be an individual. The ajax team must be as one.

S-Speed of thought and speed of action is a characteristic of Ajax players. Ajax players must be able to sum up situations quickly to problem solve on the pitch.

You would have seen earlier in this blog a reference to different attributes which I feel are essential to playing the Ajax way, these have been selected to closely align to the T.I.P.S. model and will form the DNA criteria for this save. Of course not all of this model can be captured via the attributes as personality is determined by the seven personality attributes which are under the hood.

However, there are some key ways to interpret these attributes, through judging personality descriptions, media handling styles, coach reports, scout reports, reactions to team-talks, and body language during games.

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RECRUITMENT PHILOSOPHY

Since 2016, in a process led by Marc Overmars, Ajax have broadened their horizons in terms of player recruitment, in a move which has seen them both scouted and recruit extensively from Latin and South America.

Globalisation has seen Ajax’s scouting network drastically improve, with Overmars making it clear that he wanted to have the best scouts he could find working with the club.

Above are some fine examples of how this additional pipeline of talent development has been of benefit to the club. These players have not only made key contributions for the club on the field, their sales have enabled Ajax to be sustainable, in a footballing landscape which has a large emphasis placed on the accounts off the field.

I will look to continue this recruitment strategy in my save. However, will only look to pay transfer fees for a player who is special, and who very clearly fills up a gap in the team that an academy player cannot.

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TACTICAL VERSATILITY

Since the 1980's Ajax have amassed a total of 17 Eredivisie titles, despite this dominance only three managers have been able to secure back-to-back-to-back trophies. Louis van Gaal (93/94, 94,95, and 95,96), Frank de Boer (10/11, 11/12, 12/13, and 13/14) and Erik ten Hag (18/19, 19/20, 20/21, and 21/22).

‘As you know, all good things come in threes, like Adidas’s three stripes and Ajax’s three championships in a row.'

The below images show the three different formations used by each manager. These will be the three different systems which fill my tactic slots on firing up the save.

Given that Ajax have a clear playing philosophy the in-game team instructions will be exactly the same across the three different systems. This will ensure that regardless of system the underlying principles of the Ajax way game model will stay consistent.

Each formation is a compromise of strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, I will be looking to react to opponents in-game, changing systems, and drawing upon every fibre of my tactical awareness with the view to making those all important marginal gains.

PROJECT 443-343

Prior to release, we were notified of the improvements to the match engine, providing the consumer with truer football motion, match authenticity, and positional play.

"Players now behave more intelligently, adjusting their position based on the roles and movement of teammates around them. Your players should have more passing lanes open to them and a better ability to play through the lines, allowing your team’s shape to dynamically adjust between different phases of attack."

The improvements to positional play has fuelled an internal fire, I want to take De Boer's 4-3-3 and make it morph into Van Gaal's 3-4-3. Providing me with a tactic which is synonymous to the rich history of the club, and again enabling me to improve my understanding of the match engine and share with you, the reader.

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SAVE OBJECTIVES

The first objective of the Ajax way will be to ensure that AFC Ajax are labelled as the undisputed number one team in the Netherlands, not just by winning the domestic title, but also by maintaining a strong financial position.

I want to enter the history books, joining the select list of managers that have been able to secure a three-peat of Eredivisie titles.

The second objective focuses on creating a dominant Ajax on the continent, one which can mix with Europe’s best by promoting players from within and shrewdly using the transfer market.

The third objective is to establish that Ajax have the best youth education in football at De Toekomst, furthering the greatness of their academy and giving more talents the chance to make their mark in the first team.

Ideally to achieve objectives two, and three, we will win the UEFA Champions League, with a team which is made up with a significant amount of players which have come through De Toekomst, ambassadors of the Amsterdam blueprint, the 'Ajax Way'.

As well as the above in-game objectives, I hope that in following this topic, I will be able to provide you, the reader, with a greater understanding on the following areas of he game;

• Training
• Individual Training
• Player Development
• Mentoring
• Staff Recruitment
• Data Driven Player Recruitment

I hope you have enjoyed the opening post to the Ajax way, this save will be documented here and also over on 'View From The Touchline'.

[robterrace]

Cleons articles on Ajax have been something I keep going back to when I'm playing. Think FM24 is actually more suited to the approach you want to take here, and, its definitely something I'm going to be keeping an eye on, either here, or on VFTT

[diLLa88]

I'm just over halfway in my 2nd season with Ajax. Will be fun to see how you will do compared to me and what you do differently.

[Gene]

2 hours ago, robterrace said:

Cleons articles on Ajax have been something I keep going back to when I'm playing. Think FM24 is actually more suited to the approach you want to take here, and, its definitely something I'm going to be keeping an eye on, either here, or on VFTT

I'm pretty confident that the way I play today is heavily based on Cleon's Ajax articles over the years. 

[john1]

Good luck with Ajax, will be following this very closely

[DavutOzkan]

Following. I've always had a soft spot for Ajax and I like the goals/objectives you've laid out. 

[warlock]

@MattyLewis11, magnificent opening post. Will be following with interest!

[larrie]

I follow, interesting what you can do with Ajax. You’re intro is magnificent.

[_Ben_]

Sublime post that I've already read two or three times a inspiration. I'll certainly be following along and picking your brains in regards to player development!

[Sizeman21]

Great opening! Let's see how your season goes!

[Hootieleece]

I will follow up with interest if the save can last. I need to learn youth development.

[roganp]

Really looking forward to seeing the ideas you implement in terms of player development in this save. Great inspiration for my save with AZ Alkmaar.

[SteinkelssonFM]

@robterrace @Gene @diLLa88 @john1 @DavutOzkan @warlock @larrie @_Ben_ @Sizeman21 @Hootieleece @roganp

Thanks for taking the time to drop a comment, I think it is fair to say that @Cleon has inspired many of us with regards to his historic/current articles! If I can help to aid the understand with regards to youth development through this thread, then I would have achieved my goal. 

I am yet to start the save, as waiting for full release. Ajax start staff less in FM due to licensing issues, and therefore as soon as the editor becomes available, an the guys updating the real name fix (etc) patch on Sortitoutsi do their thing, I will be in position to kick things off. 

Don't worry, I have you all covered, my next post will land later in the week, this will be setting the scene, helping to make the wider audience aware of the chaos that has been going on within the club.

After that I have written another post on the Ajax way DNA, introducing you to some of the talent from within De Toekomst. This will provide mw with an initial buffer, enabling me the time to get stuck into the save and start getting my thoughts down on paper.

I am really excited for this save to begin and truly believe it can be a special one. 

[Henke90]

I will definitely be jumping in here looking for youth development tips! Academies like Ajax's, Barcelona's etc fascinate me and how you apply the real life stuff to FM will be really interesting! Good luck and I hope you do better than Ajax in real life!  

[TangoFM]

Great start Matty, will follow this with great intrigued. 

[Gene]

22 hours ago, MattyLewis11 said:

@robterrace @Gene @diLLa88 @john1 @DavutOzkan @warlock @larrie @_Ben_ @Sizeman21 @Hootieleece @roganp

Thanks for taking the time to drop a comment, I think it is fair to say that @Cleon has inspired many of us with regards to his historic/current articles! If I can help to aid the understand with regards to youth development through this thread, then I would have achieved my goal. 

I am yet to start the save, as waiting for full release. Ajax start staff less in FM due to licensing issues, and therefore as soon as the editor becomes available, an the guys updating the real name fix (etc) patch on Sortitoutsi do their thing, I will be in position to kick things off. 

Don't worry, I have you all covered, my next post will land later in the week, this will be setting the scene, helping to make the wider audience aware of the chaos that has been going on within the club.

After that I have written another post on the Ajax way DNA, introducing you to some of the talent from within De Toekomst. This will provide mw with an initial buffer, enabling me the time to get stuck into the save and start getting my thoughts down on paper.

I am really excited for this save to begin and truly believe it can be a special one. 

Cheers @MattyLewis11. 

I'm in the same boat as you, waiting for the the full release before starting my Ajax save due to the licensing issues you mentioned. 

I'll be utilizing a 3-4-3 in the vein of Van Gaal - but also utilizing a 4-3-3 - and the principles Cruyff laid out in numerous videos and interviews. I wanted to sign only staff who have the 3-4-3 as their preferred formation to try and simulate the club having one identity, but when you try and filter staff by preferred formation, you can't select 3-4-3. 

[Fantasista10]

Can’t wait for this! The ‘Ajax way’ of playing, that Dutch Total Football, has always been my favourite style to try and replicate. Excited to see how you interpret this in the new match engine with the improved positional play and roles. 
 

Good luck!  

[endadc]

this is a definite follow. nice work, very interesting 

[Broabander]

Good luck with Ajax. I am waiting on a database which includes Ajax staff before I start a game with them myself.

[MisterFoxPlaysGames]

This is absolutely brilliant and I wish you luck. I love the idea of building around a whole philosophy like this. Probably no better club to do it with than Ajax.

Tried something similar with Real Sociedad. Managed the C team to the top of their respective table. Unfortunately the B team got relegated into my division, which meant the C team got relegated (can't be in the same division), which meant that I got fired. Ah well.

[SteinkelssonFM]

@Henke90 @TangoFM @Fantasista10 @endadc @Broabander @MisterFoxPlaysGames

Thanks for taking the time to comment, you all will be pleased to know that I started the save yesterday, with the following database loaded. 

A whopping 35 leagues loaded 'all playable' along with additional players from Europe and South America.

Like some of us who get too consumed in the granularity of the game, I will walk you briefly through the list of things which I have been doing, with regards to setting up the save.

• Custom skin colours have been set up based upon the findings of @FMStag to help show which players hold values above the average for the Eredivisie, simple stuff like this really helps you to process data when playing the game.

Using Carlos Borges as the example, I can easily see that he has exceptional pace and acceleration, along with being a great dribbler, who moves off the ball well. Sounds like a perfect Winger to me. 

• Reviewed the coach reports for all players at the club, making notes of individuals strengths (consistency and big game players) and weaknesses (inconsistent, dislikes big games, injury prone) 
• Skin flows - adding competitions of interest to the screen flow, this way you won't need to search for data as you will be provided with updates in-game, to then deep dive at your pleasure.  

• Fired up a spreadsheet to review DNA (more on that later)
• Built a few training schedules based around the core team instructions/game model.

You will note the above states WEAKER, I like to make training for weaker/stronger opponents, given you will experience different games. Weaker, the opponent will sit deeper and you expect to have more ball. Therefore the patient attacking approach, focusing around ball retention, chance creation, and engaging the opponent when out of possession. Whilst the stronger focuses more on being more direct with attacks, relying on the set piece and also maintaining defensive shape, given the likelihood, we will see less ball.

• Job applications for vacant staff spaces
• Setting up individual positional training
• Focused training to build on weak areas.
• Player Pathways (more on this to follow) 
• Training intensity scheduling to automatically set training intensity based on player condition.
• Set pieces a little dabble 

I will be looking to get a post out at the end of the week, setting the scene of the club IRL and this will be followed by an update of pre-season, before getting stuck into competitive football and the view to overturning the abysmal level of cohesion we have at the club. 

@Broabander @Gene  I wish you best of luck in your saves with Ajax, and to all of you out there, thanks for being patient with me, whilst I waited for the Ajax staff fix to be released.

[PequenoGenio]

So many good topics this year.
+1 to follow

[Gene]

Well done @MattyLewis11. 

 

I want to get mine up and running this evening or tomorrow possibly — I'm still playing my Beta save with Strasbourg. I look forward to hearing more about your plans utilizing DNA data. I think for a club like Ajax this would be especially useful in identifying "Ajax" players. 

 

Random question, but what skin are you using? 

[endadc]

oh this will be so good. think i will start an ajax save over the weelend. well done @MattyLewis11

[MisterFoxPlaysGames]

This is excellent. You're really onto something with this save. The attention to detail is incredible. Best of luck.

[Broabander]

How did you get the staff into your game? Did you download a database somewhere or have you brought in your own staff?

[SteinkelssonFM]

10 hours ago, Broabander said:

How did you get the staff into your game

The 'Real Name Fix' on Sortitoutsi has an editor file in, which ensures Ajax have staff at the start of the save. One key reason why I have had to delay the start of the save. 👍

[Broabander]

13 hours ago, MattyLewis11 said:

The 'Real Name Fix' on Sortitoutsi has an editor file in, which ensures Ajax have staff at the start of the save. One key reason why I have had to delay the start of the save. 👍

Thanks for the info. Will be downloading that then so I can start my proper Ajax save

[SteinkelssonFM]

For those of you who don’t follow Dutch football, or Ajax to be more specific, I wanted to provide you with a little context in terms of the current state of affairs at AFC Ajax.

This blog will help me to set the scene, after introducing you to my save 'The Ajax Way' to understand the true scale of the task ahead.

The Director of Football

Ajax made a strategic move in March 2023 by appointing Sven Mislintat as their new director of football, recognising the need for change. Mislintat, renowned as the 'Diamond Eye' during his time as Borussia Dortmund's chief scout, earned this moniker due to his knack for discovering exceptional talents such as Robert Lewandowski, Ousmane Dembele, Mats Hummels, and Jadon Sancho.

However, his reputation took a hit during his stint at Arsenal from 2017 to 2019. There, he faced criticism for his heavy reliance on signing former Dortmund players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sokratis, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, with varying degrees of success. Nonetheless, Mislintat defended his choices and emphasised his pride in these players, citing his role in shortlisting William Saliba.

Following his departure from Arsenal, Mislintat performed admirably at Stuttgart, helping the club quickly return to the Bundesliga as their sporting director. He was even linked with a potential move to Liverpool before Ajax secured his services.

When speaking to the media to announce Sven, CEO Edwin van der Sar stated the following;

"It is good for Ajax that we have been able to fill this important position with an internationally experienced football director who can start quickly. A careful process preceded the search for the right person. We were looking for someone who stands for attacking and attractive football. Someone who has an international network, and has an eye for scouting, development, and the growth of our own youth. Sven meets the profile, and he made a very good impression on us from the first talks in February. In addition, he has a way of working that fits today’s industry. I am convinced that he will make an important contribution to the new successes of Ajax."

AFC Ajax - A transfer window like no other

During the summer, Sven Mislintat acted swiftly in the transfer market for Ajax. The club continued its tradition of selling players for substantial profits, including Jurrien Timber, Mohammed Kudus, and Edson Alvarez, who all moved to Premier League clubs.

In contrast, AFC Ajax welcomed 12 new players, most of whom were young talents with unproven experience at the highest level but with significant future resale potential. Notably, Josip Sutalo, 23, was the most expensive signing from Dinamo Zagreb, closely followed by Georges Mikautadze from Metz and Carlos Borges from Manchester City, aged 22 and 19, respectively. Ajax also acquired Chuba Akpom, the PFA Championship Players' Player of the Year, following his impressive 28-goal season with Middlesbrough. Borna Sosa, a Croatian player, joined from Mislintat's former club, Stuttgart.

In total, Ajax invested over €100 million (£87 million/$106 million) in new players during the transfer window (as seen in the below image from Transfermrkt), a substantial sum by Eredivisie standards. It's worth noting that some of these transfers involved the controversial agent Vlado Lemic, who had been linked to a tax-fraud case related to the renegotiation of Luka Modric's Real Madrid contract in 2018.

Entering into the chaos

During the season, Ajax experienced a mix of positive and negative results. They began with a promising 4-1 win over Heracles Almelo but followed it up with a disappointing 2-2 draw against Excelsior. While they managed to progress through a Europa League qualification tie against Ludogorets, they faced setbacks with a goalless draw against Fortuna Sittard, a 3-1 loss to Twente, and a 3-3 draw with Marseille in the Europa League. This left Ajax without a win in four games leading up to a crucial match against Feyenoord.

Behind the scenes, a tense working relationship developed between director of football Sven Mislintat and head coach Maurice Steijn, who was hired from Sparta Rotterdam in the summer. The friction became evident after the Fortuna Sittard match when Steijn remarked that he and the coaching staff had proposed ideas for summer signings, but Mislintat had made different choices.

In the Feyenoord game, Steijn made a statement by leaving seven of the 12 new signings on the bench and substituting defender Anton Gaaei, a recent recruit, after just over 30 minutes. He also made a tactical substitution, replacing Borna Sosa with Anass Salah-Eddine instead of Gaston Avila.

Notably, Mislintat had created a stir by openly discussing the possibility of firing Steijn with club employees just a day before the Feyenoord match, despite being expected to work discreetly in his role, as per supervisory board chairman Pier Eringa's comments. This move surprised many and added to the already strained atmosphere within the club.

AFC Ajax then suspended Sven Mislintat, in response to allegations of a conflict of interest. These allegations arose due to the signing of Borna Sosa, represented by the agency AKA Global, which has ties to Mislintat's commercial data systems company, Matchmetrics GmbH. Ajax initially claimed they were unaware of these shareholdings but later stated that Mislintat explained they stemmed from an investment round in 2020, with plans to convert the investment into a three percent shareholding at a later date.

 

On September 24th AFC Ajax decided to end the collaboration with Director of Football Sven Mislintat with immediate effect. The lack of broad support within the organisation was quoted as the reason behind this decision.

Steijn looked to have survived the chopping block. However the above post from @OptaJohan shows that AFC Ajax are actually outperforming their expected points! They should currently be in bottom place of the Eredivisie.

 

The defeat against FC Utrecht would see Ajax failing to win any of their last eight games in all competitions. Enough is enough, Maurce Steijn was removed from his position at the club, Steijn's record at AFC Ajax saw him collect just 0.9 points per game, the lowest among all managers in all competitions in the history of the club.

 

The Ajax team continued their abysmal form, defeat on the road in Europe to Brighton and Hove Albion saw Roberto De Zerbi's side record both the most passes (788) and the highest possession rating (65%) of any Ajax opponent on record (since April 2014).

 

At the time of writing this update, AFC Ajax sit in 18th place of the Eredivisie table, after defeat away to PSV Eindhoven (5-2). Defeat provided Ajax with yet another unwanted record, for the first time in the clubs history, Ajax have lost five Eredivisie games in a row.

And this is where my story begins.

[Qeroz]

Wow, truly a great thread! I will follow this with great interest. I'm about to start a new save with Ajax as well. With regard to the editor file 'Real Name Fix' on Sortitoutsi that you use, is this file somehow made by the team behind Football Manager or is the file and the specific attributes of the leaders fan made? Would be great to know since I haven't yet decided whether to use this editor file or not.

[Swaban]

3 hours ago, Qeroz said:

Wow, truly a great thread! I will follow this with great interest. I'm about to start a new save with Ajax as well. With regard to the editor file 'Real Name Fix' on Sortitoutsi that you use, is this file somehow made by the team behind Football Manager or is the file and the specific attributes of the leaders fan made? Would be great to know since I haven't yet decided whether to use this editor file or not.

It is not made by SI, as they are not able to due to licencing. the real name fix is community made 

[Oppiiz]

Fantastic as always mate! Love the write up!
Can't wait for the next one!  And see how you manage to use the new positional play into use perhaps? 

[larrie]

And the story begins….

Ajax is now building wit van t’Schip. Going better as with Steyn.

i am interested what you do with Ajax.

succes.

[endadc]

eagerly anticipating the next update. Just started my ajax save, after all the difficulty i had getting in the ajax staff, i ended up replacing a lot of them. 

[DefinitelyTaylor]

Fantastic post. I’m really looking forward to following this one, as I am with all of your threads. Hopefully we see a lot of Branco van den Boomen! I know I am one of a few admirers of his on this forum. 

[RogerC]

Following this, can't wait to see more.

[DavutOzkan]

So glad to see that you're starting where the team currently is (or where they were when you wrote it) as opposed to the beginning of the season. They are too well-rated in-game, and you would probably win the league in the first season otherwise. Should make the first season/window a bit more interesting in this scenario. 

[SteinkelssonFM]

@DefinitelyTaylor you will be pleased to know that Branco van den Boomen features in my next post (Friday) which covers the Ajax way DNA. In this blog I will be covering the underpinning attributes which will shape the club, from player pathways to recruitment.

@DavutOzkan I am sorry to disappoint, I started with the vanilla database instead of a custom one, I feared that without significant testing I would be placing the long-term save at risk, which I am confident this years FM will go the distance.

@RogerC @larrie @Oppiiz @endadc After the DNA blog, I am currently working on one called Steijnkelsson, which will compare my results against those of Maurice Steijn, given the Eredivisie schedule mirrors that of real life, in my opinion a perfect way to start documenting some matches. 

However, the above team cohesion visual is after playing 23 matches (competitive and friendly) which from experience isn't the norm. FM seem to have accurately captured the incapability of the team to play as a collective, impacting team performance.

Off the pitch the team are also split into three social groups along with both Carlos Borges and Benjamin Tahirović very much outcasts. There is much to work on, which is probably one of the reasons as to why I have delayed firing out content as I want to make sure what I cover is of value. 

 

[endadc]

i really struggled in mine during the first season an i finished third in the end and that was on a run of 12 straight league wins. I think i was very close to getting sacked. very interested to see your tactics and DNA posts. 

[larrie]

Yes I play also with Ajax and in mine first season I’m struggling to…. You can see that it is also in fm to many new players…  
 

see forward to you’re next update!

[bosque]

Great thread! I'm enjoying it. Could you expand a bit more on the attributes treshold? Is 13 the above-average number? That's why you set it as good and 14 as excellent? I'm interested because I never know how to asses my squad.

[Maverik1828]

What stats are you using to determine the ajax dna is it different for every position and just a standard set across the board? 

[SteinkelssonFM]

In my introductory blog to this save, the Ajax way. I stated that I will be implementing a DNA which has been selected to be closely aligned to the T.I.P.S. model. This DNA will serve as a blueprint for the save and ensure that I don't deviate away from my original intentions of the save, youth development.

Footballing DNA - The DNA of a club can be looked at as the identity or defining characteristic of the institution. In this sense, it can be linked to the scientific definition of a person’s DNA – that defines what that particular person's traits and characteristics will be.

The above post from @OptaJohan goes a long way in showing how reliant the Koninklijke Nederlandse Voetbalbond (KNVB) has been on De Toekomst to provide a consistent supply chain of talent to the Netherlands national football team.

Including Ajax players, at any given time, it is estimated that up to 35 footballers playing in the Eredivisie have received an education at Ajax’s academy.

The latest piece written by CIES Football Observatory presents the rankings of teams that have trained (training clubs are those where players have spent at least three years between the ages of 15 and 21) the most players active in 48 of the world's major leagues.

Ajax score the highest with regards to both volumes, and the weighted training index, which takes into account the sporting level of players trained. Again, highlighting the importance of De Toekomst on a global scale.

This blog will guide you through my thoughts and processes on how I will look to use the DNA to develop, provide opportunities, and showcase talent with the view to producing elite level football players, as referenced above.

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FOR THE FUTURE

Let's face it we all love a custom squad view and the below 'Squad - Main' from FM Stag’s Custom Views Megapack for FM24 will be one which a vast majority of FM'ers will be familiar with. I have simply added in the 'Date of Birth' next to the players age, as I want to group players by year of birth, labelling the prospects as 'The Class Of'.

The above goes a long way to show that AFC Ajax is stacked with top talent, with 35 players holding a potential ability rating of four starts and above. Taking current ability into the equation, based on historic saves, I look to integrate players into the first-team when they have 2.5 stars. Using this method you will see that only two players (Jorrel Hato and Amourricho van Axel Dongen) meet the criteria, and funny enough both have played for the first-team this season, with Hato being the only player to start and play every minute of Eredivisie football thus far.

Now for some of you this would be as far as you take this information. However, given the fact I will be playing 'The Ajax way' with a DNA, I need to find out what individuals score when adding up the selected attributes.

THE CUSTOM VIEW

The beauty of a custom view is that it will enable you to have all the relevant data to hand in one central location, the above view will help me to see how individuals are progressing with regards to the key attributes. More importantly, I have included fields such as 'Position/Role/Duty' and 'Focus' to see how I have set up individual training, along with the 'Progress' field to show me how they are developing.

TIME TO FIRE UP THE SPREADSHEET

Football Manager and Google Sheets go hand in hand, it is here where I have extracted the above custom view and inserted a formula to see which individuals are best aligned to my selected DNA.

Looking at the above, you will note that there are a few individuals, such as Oualid Agougil, Yoram Boerhout, and Charlie Setford that may well have been missed if purely looking at the potential ability stars.

These players sit inside the top 20 under 20 year olds at the club with regards to their alignment to the Ajax way DNA, and therefore are worthwhile focusing efforts on developing as individuals.

THE FIRST TEAM BASELINE

Now we have identified the players that sit outside of the first-team, which are best aligned to the Ajax way, there is a need to understand how the first-team perform against the self-selected DNA.

Those of you who have been following me closely over the years will know that I love a baseline, as they serve a reasonable and defined starting point for comparison purposes. I often use baselines evaluate change, and measure the difference between two periods of time.

After running the data you will see that the team holds an average DNA score of 177, with Branco van den Boomen scoring the highest, and Jay Gorter (GK) scoring the lowest.

This now provides me with an understanding of where a player should be with regards to their DNA score before providing them with exposure to the first team.

Looking at the list of youngsters above, there are a further eight players outside of the first team who have a DNA rating of above 160, the value set by Carlos Borges, the lowest outfield player. Therefore providing me with a further pool of talent which could be trusted on, with regards to securing first-team minutes.

I hope the above has given you a flavour on how I play the game and hopefully inspiration to fire up your favourite spreadsheet software and get stuck into the number crunching.

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THE CLASS OF

I will look to provide updates throughout the save on the development of playing staff within the club, I have opted to follow in the footsteps of Manchester United in my style of this approach by placing players into the 'Class of' groups, based upon their age of birth.

Shrewnaldo has scraped the data in every playable league in FM24, enabling him to produce the average values for technical, mental, and physical attributes. The Eredivisie has an overall attribute average of 10.87 and below I will detail the top five players aligned to 'The Ajax Way' DNA from each 'Class of', highlighting the attribute values they have at the start of the game at 13, two points above the league average.

Class of 2004

Kristian Nökkvi Hlynsson (Winger, 168 DNA points) - Crossing, First Touch, Free Kick Taking, Technique, Flair, Teamwork, Vision, Agility, and Natural Fitness.

Amourricho van Axel Dongen (Inverted Winger, 162 DNA points) - Dribbling, Passing, Technique, Determination, Flair, Vision, Acceleration, Agility, and Pace.

Olivier Aertssen (Ball Playing Defender, 161 DNA points) - Passing, Work Rate, and Stamina.

Julian Brandes (Deep Lying Playmaker, 157 DNA points) - Passing, Technique, Vision, and Natural Fitness.

Charlie Setford (Sweeper Keeper, 152 DNA points) - Kicking, Passing, Anticipation, and Determination.

Class of 2005

Stanis Idumbo Muzambo (Winger, 166 DNA points) - Dribbling, First Touch, Passing, Technique, Bravery, Determination, Flair, Acceleration, Agility, Natural Fitness and Pace.

Gabriël Misehouy (Advanced Playmaker, 161 DNA points) - First Touch, Passing, Technique, Determination, Vision, Work Rate, and Agility.

Rico Speksnijder (Advanced Playmaker, 160 DNA points) - Passing, Technique, Determination, and Vision.

Silvano Vos (Deep Lying Playmaker, 161 DNA points) - Technique, Aggression, Natural Fitness and Balance.

Yoram Boerhout (Advanced Forward, 157 DNA points) - Determination and Acceleration.

Class of 2006

Skye Vink (Pressing Forward, 164 DNA points) - Dribbling, Heading, Technique, Composure, Decisions, Determination, Flair, Off The Ball, Agility, and Natural Fitness.

Kayden Wolff - (Winger, 158 DNA points) - First Touch, Technique, Agility and Stamina.

Avery Appiah (Central Midfielder, 153 DNA points) - Tackling, Decisions, Determination, Teamwork, Vision, Agility, and Natural Fitness.

Ethan Butera (Wide Centre-Back, 153 DNA points) - First Touch, Passing, Technique, and Anticipation.

Don-Angelo Konadu (Advanced Forward, 149 DNA points) - Finishing, First Touch, Heading, Decisions, Determination, Acceleration, Agility, and Natural Fitness.

VARIATIONS TO PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

We were kindly informed by FM Admin in their post 'Smarter transfers, squad building and finance' that for Football Manager 24, tweaks have been made with regards to player development.

Some players will see an accelerated improvement in their teenage years before hitting their potential ceiling earlier on. Meanwhile, a new system has been introduced to recognise ‘Late Developers’, or those players who don’t breakthrough until slightly later than would be considered typical. 

Taking this into the equation, there will be a need to continuously monitor individuals' attribute performance against the selected DNA. The above tweaks should see the above 'class of' selections become fluid with players moving in and out of the top five as their development progresses.

For this reason I will be running the data on a bi-seasonal basis, to ensure individuals the most closely aligned to 'The Ajax Way' DNA are provided the exposure they deserve.

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FOR THE FUTURE

Based on the current players at my disposal and the Ajax way DNA, I have produced a future best XI, this is based upon individuals initial performance against the club philosophy.

Thanks for taking the time to read my latest instalment to the Ajax way, I promise you, next week we will have some games and analysis to cover. It's going to be a BIG read (4k words).

[SteinkelssonFM]

6 hours ago, Maverik1828 said:

What stats are you using to determine the ajax dna is it different for every position and just a standard set across the board? 

Standard across the board, I have selected the DNA based on the game model I want to play. In my opinion, it would make no sense in wanting each role or even unit to have a different DNA as our team will be playing in a fluid system at all times, attacking and defending as one. 

17 hours ago, bosque said:

Great thread! I'm enjoying it. Could you expand a bit more on the attributes treshold? Is 13 the above-average number? That's why you set it as good and 14 as excellent? I'm interested because I never know how to asses my squad.

I used FMStags findings, which identifed the average for the Eredivisie to be 11.  Therefore I simply thought if a player holds attributes with a rating of 3 points above the league average, they are significantly better at that attribute than others. 

If I didn't play with attribute masking on, I could have taken the analysis one step further and showed what percentage of players have attributes rated at any given number to see what truly is an exceptional rating. However, I don't and always play this way as I like to rely on the staff in game to unearth talent. 

[Sizeman21]

Wow, your presentation is excellent, nice charts and tables for the reader to delve into. I am definitely a fan! Keep up the good work. 

[Henke90]

Fantastic start, really enjoying this.

[Maverik1828]

7 hours ago, MattyLewis11 said:

Standard across the board, I have selected the DNA based on the game model I want to play. In my opinion, it would make no sense in wanting each role or even unit to have a different DNA as our team will be playing in a fluid system at all times, attacking and defending as one. 

I used FMStags findings, which identifed the average for the Eredivisie to be 11.  Therefore I simply thought if a player holds attributes with a rating of 3 points above the league average, they are significantly better at that attribute than others. 

If I didn't play with attribute masking on, I could have taken the analysis one step further and showed what percentage of players have attributes rated at any given number to see what truly is an exceptional rating. However, I don't and always play this way as I like to rely on the staff in game to unearth talent. 

Yeah thats makes sense what stats are you using attributes wise im also doing an ajax save and using the T.I.P.S method to scout players amd just wanted to compare wha attributes your looking at and what you would consider a minimum number of each attribute? 

Edited November 18, 2023 by Maverik1828
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[larrie]

Very interesting how you do that. 

[Razor940]

19 horas atrás, MattyLewis11 disse:

Standard across the board, I have selected the DNA based on the game model I want to play. In my opinion, it would make no sense in wanting each role or even unit to have a different DNA as our team will be playing in a fluid system at all times, attacking and defending as one. 

I used FMStags findings, which identifed the average for the Eredivisie to be 11.  Therefore I simply thought if a player holds attributes with a rating of 3 points above the league average, they are significantly better at that attribute than others. 

If I didn't play with attribute masking on, I could have taken the analysis one step further and showed what percentage of players have attributes rated at any given number to see what truly is an exceptional rating. However, I don't and always play this way as I like to rely on the staff in game to unearth talent. 

Where can I find those findings?

[SteinkelssonFM]

@Razor940 the excellent work can be found here, if you haven't already taken the time to read this thread, I would highly advise.