Ajax look to stop Kuijt flying
http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/Kind=2/newsId=330366.html
Sunday afternoon sees the 50th Eredivisie edition of a Dutch classic as AFC
Ajax take on fierce rivals Feyenoord at the Amsterdam ArenA.
Famous win
In all competitions, Ajax have played Feyenoord 49 times at home, winning 25
to the Rotterdam side's ten, but the visitors need only look back to a famous
4-3 victory in May 2001 to be reminded that defeat is far from a foregone
conclusion.
Deadly strikers
Meanwhile, Ajax will be acutely aware that Feyenoord's 'K-2' strike partnership
of Salomon Kalou and Dirk Kuijt can score goals any time, anywhere. Last
season Kalou registered 20 with Dutch international Kuijt netting 29. The
latter is already up and running this term, having found the target twice
already.
Kuijt happy
Such form has prompted serious interest from Liverpool FC, Everton FC and
Tottenham Hotspur FC this summer, but they have yet to tempt Feyenoord into
letting him go. Kuijt himself is unconcerned, saying: "Although I would love to
play in England one day, if Feyenoord say 'no', that's it. I am still
developing and it is also important for me to play in every domestic match in
the run-up to the [2006 FIFA] World Cup in Germany."
'Real personality'
That attitude has endeared the 25-year-old to his new coach, Erwin Koeman,
who has made Kuijt team captain. "That Kuijt is important as a goalscorer
goes without saying, but he is an example for other players with the attitude
he displays," Koeman told uefa.com. "He is a real personality, and knows what
he wants, that's why I made him captain."
First test
While the coach's brother Ronald experienced this fixture as a player with both
clubs and as Ajax boss, this will be Erwin Koeman's first taste of the action.
"They are always special matches with lots of pressure and media attention, and
for a player it must be fantastic to experience," he said. "And for us it will
be the first real test of the season."
Target one
Having achieved their first target of the campaign in qualifying for the UEFA
Champions League with a third qualifying round win against Denmark's Brondby
IF, Ajax coach Danny Blind has earned the right to relax a little. He now wants
to see his side turn on the style.
Strong-arm tactics
"The victory against Brondby has secured us six matches at the highest level,
and maybe even half a year of European football," said Blind. "So those matches
were all about winning. Now I want to see some good football being played on
the pitch."
Individual skill
However, Feyenoord's frontmen have what it takes to undo his plans. "Feyenoord
can decide a match with individual skill alone," continued the trainer. "Just
look at last season when we won 3-2 in Rotterdam. We deserved to win because
of the way we played, but they almost won because of Kuijt and Kalou."
Statement of intent
With their opening league game against ADO Den Haag having been postponed, Ajax
had little trouble kick-starting their campaign with a 2-0 success at RBC
Roosendaal last week. Feyenoord will be the first major obstacle in their way,
but if either team are to mount a serious challenge to PSV Eindhoven in the
title race, they will do well to take three points on Sunday.
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