Anyone have any real news on my favorite chokers-how about the local AZ fans--on this board can help -besides the Kluivert experiment?--how long will this go--then who do they get for a striker- -is it Ari again? Is Schaars playing--staying? Is DeZeeuw staying? Is Maartens healthy? Is Dembele staying? Who is the keeper? I check out the Forza-AZ site every day but not much cooking--maybe its a little early still Any news is welcome--
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year Shocking to hear about Kluivert. Why does he insist on playing? He simply cannot run or move. Actually how is it possible that he has passed any medical at PSV, Lille, and now AZ after his constant injuries since Euro 2004? Since that time his pending move to Newcastle saw the injuries take its toll, and certainly his next stop Valencia was ravaged by injury. Hard to believe how far he has dropped.
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year Two things have to happen for AZ to have a decent season: 1. The youngsters take a step forward, most notably Donk, Vormer, and Ari. All three have shown some promises last season, just need to find the consistency. 2. Jeremain Lens returns. He found his groove late last season, he'd be a useful addition. Injury victims Schaars and Luirink may be back, but I wouldn't expect too much from them. AZ is trying to get rid of Pelle, Medunjanin, Koenders, and Augustien. Not surprising tbh, although I thought Augustien should stay. He keeps the midfield in check, and he works hard week in week out.
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year vormer is of to roda jc Az has got a new player Holman of NEC NIJMEgEN and Romero is the first goally Kluivert is not gonna play just for coachingstaf
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year To be honest, I think two years ago was AZ's year. Nonetheless I hope you finish above 010 again.
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year If Kluivert plays I can easily see AZ win the league. I mean it won't even be close.
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year I follow regulary, although I am not a fan so I think a can answer your questions. After the disaster of last season, they returned to the base of there succes. Last season the bought for lot of money young foreign talented players who. The new players were bought to make the final step to the top. You all know, that that is not happened, instead of that last season was not so good. AZ decided to do as previous seasons and buy young talented and most important, local players. Many new signed players are maybe unknown but who knew Schaars and de Zeeuw for example when the arrived at AZ. The new players, so far are: - Moisander (22) (Finish international, replace Opdam as LB or LCD, came from FC Zwolle second division). - V/d Velden (26) (Dutch player, AM, came from FC Dordrecht, second division) - Holman (24) (Australian international. AM, most expansive signing abou 3M, one of the stars with the revalation of the second half of the season NEC) - Swerts (25) (Belgium international, RB and also midfield, came on a free-transfer, known for his good mentality) - And Lens (20) (Dutch youth international, was on loan to NEC, and also one of the stars of second half of the season with NEC) To do't bought a striker because the ones the were avalaible were not good enough. They hope the player are developing there goal scoring skills during the season. The goalkeeper will be Romero from Argentina. v. Gaal lost his faith in Waterman, so Waterman must left. Also Didulica returns so he will be compete with Romero. Schaars played yesterday against a local team, so he will probably avalaible for next season. Yesterday they played in a 4-2-3-1 system like the Dutch NT. That is it, maybe I answer the other question later because I must go now.
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year AZ offloaded Jenner, and it seems likely Waterman will be gone (ADO Den Haag is interested). Does anybody know if Gijs Luirink will be available soon? AZ could use 1-2 defensive reinforcements.
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year Personally, I think van Gaal is out by the winterbreak. It didnt work all season and it didnt get that much better when he said he would leave if they didnt improve. my money is on Heerenveen (and secretly hoping on Twente as well) if PSV and Ajax fail even more than the last 2 years....
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year Like BaritoPutra said, Jenner is loaned out to Vitesse Arnhem. Also Molhoek is loaned out to the same club. I am not sure, but Vitesse has a buy option for both players. AZ gave Barry Opdam his abroad adventure to Austrian top side RB Salzburg were he will join headcoach Co Adriaanse (the man behind the succes in 2004/2005). Also Ruud Vormer left the club, because is contract were not extended in the winterbreak. At he end of the season AZ want to extend is his contract, but that was no option for Vormer, so he moved to Roda JC Kerkrade. A couple of other players might leave, if a club will pay the right price. This is the case for player like Waterman, Pelle, Koenders (maybe on a loan-deal), Augustien and Medujanin. I think most of the player will be a good addition for clubs like NEC, NAC, Vitesse and FC Utrecht. Pelle maybe return to Italy and i couple of weeks ago some media said that Wolfsburg were intrested. I think that AZ will end next season 5th or something like that. They have a good talented team, but after last season they learned they need some 'asshols' in there team instead of 11, like we say in the Netherland; mooi weer voetballers (nice wether footballers). Football players who play beautiful football when eveything works, but if things don't going well they are not able to play rough. I guess Ajax are the ones to beat this season if they buy 2 good defenders and keep Huntelaar or buy a good replacement (or maybe Sulejmani is the replacement but that is more a winger) and van Basten makes a good team (I think he will not do that because he is a terrible coach) PSV lost two of there best players, Gomes and Farfan and there replacements are a lot worse. Last season they become champion thanks to Gomes, Gomes, Gomes, a little bit thanks of Afellay and Farfan and because the other teams were also bad. On the other hand, maybe because of the lack of players who can make the difference, they might play more like a team. Feyenoord is a good team, but is to old. And there is nothing with old platyers, if they have added value and players like Timmer, Hofland, Landzaat and maybe Tomasson don't have that. But i think they will be a outsider. Twente, Heerenveen and Groningen signed some good players and will playing for the european places just like AZ. i think this are AZ´ biggest competitors.
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year I'd like to think that because of the loss of (mostly) Gomes and Farfan that Ajax are the team to beat. But PSV always manages to win after losing key players, so I'd still make them the favorites, even as my heart believes that Ajax can do it. Gomes is a huge loss for them -- we'll see what they come up with this season in terms of compensating for his loss.
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year I called AZ season as a fluke last year. I think with a little bit of lucks, they should be able to crack up the top 5. No surprises, the usual suspects (PSV, Ajax, and Feyenoord) are improving their squad, I think they remain as stong favorites for the title. While AZ has not added much, they have been able to keep their core players intact, the likes of Jaliens, Mendes, De Zeeuw, and Dembele. The same can't be said with the other contenders, which somewhat have decreased in quality. Heerenven lost their top scorer (Sulejmani), Twente lost an influential coach (Rutten) and best players (Engelaar and El-Ahmadi), Groningen lost the defense rock (Kruiswijk). Apart from Vormer, players whom AZ lost are not that relevant. Thanks RWB1 for clarifying, I was very surpised AZ let Vormer left for virtually nothing. As I said before, the defensive line is going to be Van Gaal's challenge. GK Romero is young and untested, but I think he has potential. A greater hope is perhaps the development of Ryan Donk. He was very inconsistent last year, started great, somewhat lost in the middle of the season, the resurfaced late. I felt Van Gaal didn't trust him, or perhaps he didn't want to overload Donk (remember what happened to Vlaar?). I hope Donk will have a great tournament in Beijing Olympic. All he needs is a boost of confidence to start off the season with high gear. Ari had one good season under his belt, and he can only get better. If Schaars is returning healthy, that'd be a bonus. Ditto with Luirink and Maartens. I've heard good things about AZ young gun, Marko Matic. Who knows, he could be a surprising element given proper chance.
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year Yes but unfortunately this is Davids 2008 edition, not 2000 edition But not a bad move if they can get him cheap
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year Indeed, but Ajax could have used him again as he still has much to offer. Thanks to Marco's shoddy people skills Edgar wanted no part of Van Basten's Ajax.
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year Well this is great news he can teach the kids--Schaars--Maartens--DeSilva--before they all run off to bigger teams Perhaps we put it together but still insure where the goals will come from
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year Not true he is just training to keep in shape. He is a free transfer for whatever team wants to pick him up. Unfortunately he is 36 years old and has taken a lot of punishment over the years. I don't think he has much to offer as an everyday player.
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year By placing 1st and 2nd in consecutive years? Ajax is consistently average while PSV dominates until the last few months of the season when they decide to suck.
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year I'm not a (former) Ajax players fan, but when it comes to Edgar Davids I am sure you are very wrong. Davids is the kind of man that takes ultimate care of his body and is in better shape than many players 8 years younger than him. If I was Gullit I would take him in as fast as I could to put in some fighting spirit and professionalism in his mid field. Combined with Beckham it would make LA Galaxy win the matches they now narrowly loose or draw. AZ is having bad luck in the prep time. Pelle and Lens are injured and not expected to be back before the competition started.
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year Because LA Galaxy is a crummy anagram of Lous van Gaal About the Olympics: [Nor must we forget to thank the clubs involved for enabling such a star-studded cast to take part. The biggest single contributor of talent for this August's competition are Eredivisie outfit AZ Alkmaar, who have six players involved. And with 28 representatives the Dutch league boasts the most players here in Beijing, followed by Italy on 27 and England with 23. .... ********** http://www.fifa.com/mensolympic/news...utch+challenge
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year AZ is having bad luck in the prep time. Pelle and Lens are injured and not expected to be back before the competition started. They won't be able to move Pelle due to his injury but he cannot be there this year Davids probably does not sign--too bad It sounds like they will start with Ari and Hamdoui(?) as the strikers and wait for Lens- Does anyone know-is that lush still training with them or did he end up running someone over on the way from the bar to practice
Re: AZ Alkmaar--this is our year AZ are folowing thomaz radzinsky and tom de sutter i am not a great fan of radzinsky de sutter is a player of cercle brugge in belgium havent seen much of him