The Ajax Experience. Part One: The Future (De Toekomst)

By Eric Beard, writing from Barcelona with nostalgia

A few weeks ago, my girlfriend and I embarked on a wonderful little trip to explore the Netherlands for the first time. Amsterdam more specifically. Not knowing what to expect from Europe’s sin city (nor knowing a single word of Dutch, ‘hallo’ aside), we both found ourselves delighted with the kindness of everyone we met despite the near frigid temperatures. We had left the sunny shores of Barcelona, however, we found a love for the Catalan lifestyle, especially when it came to Total Football. To many of the Dutch men and women we talked football with, there was a sense of pride in comparing their club, Ajax, with the Blaugrana. Some still avidly watch their club at the Amsterdam ArenA every weekend, while others have lost the fire for the ‘Joden’ because the complex of modern football has left them with the despair of knowing they’ll never again have a team capable of winning the Champions League, or even as close to as good as the team of the 70s with Cruyff, Krol, and Rensenbrink.

Thanks to our Dutch friend Babette, who is a spirited Ajax club member as well as a sports & media student, we were able to take in the legendary Ajax experience against AZ Alkmaar at the Amsterdam ArenA with 50,000 other fans, while we also saw the football culture of the club everywhere throughout the city. Those four days in Holland inspired me, as the uniqueness of Ajax is something that needs to be appreciated. The club is not consistently playing in the Champions League, nor have they won the Dutch Eredivisie since 2004. Despite this perceived trip in mediocrity, they are still one of the best clubs in the world. Why? Well that is exactly what I will focus on in the first of my 3 part series capturing the Ajax experience.

The future. That’s what the club, for better or for worse, is all about. Ajax is looking towards the future and it always will be. Walking into an Ajax store near Leidseplein square, I looked at the vast array of Ajax scarves. You know those rare moments when something, whether it be a person, a university, a club, or a company, defines itself so precisely with just one phrase? Ajax’s phrase was ‘Where The Legends Are Made.’ I saw it, stopped and paused, simply staring at the truthful essence of that slightly overpriced scarf I probably wouldn’t have bought had I known there were scarfs for 5 euro at the actual stadium.

However, I was caught gazing at the scarf by the Moroccan employee working.

He said, “You like Ajax?”

I responded, “They’re not my team, but they’re something special aren’t they?”

“Oh, they certainly are. Follow me.”

(Source: philosofooty)