The 1-200,000 Euro Ajax would eat isn’t significant to the club. The non-EU salary thing doesn’t really matter to them. They’re minting money and about to have an insane transfer window. Ajax also would loan/option to buy too. Agreed on Olympics roster. I believe it is 20? I also think Richie and Pomykal are clearly better than him (with Aaronsen better IMO too).
I agree just because he trained it doesn’t mean he’s in their first team plans this season. My guess is this is a motivational tactic they use with other academy prospects to understand where they stand and their gaps. If they were seriously considering him for the first team would they decide not to have him play for jong Ajax so he could train with the first team? He could have trained with the first team regardless.
Then what is the drawback to moving from Freiburg to Ajax? Do you think his footballing education will suffer at a club whose name is almost synonymous with sophisticated tactical training?
Mo 2/17 Jong Ajax v NAC {6th} [Mendez DNP] Th 2/20 Getafe v Ajax {Europa League} [Mendez not traveling; Jong field players traveling = J. Timber, Gravenberch, and Ekkelenkamp] Fr 2/21 Helmond Sport {19th} v Jong Ajax Su 2/23 Heracles {10th} v Ajax Th 2/27 Ajax v Getafe {Europa League} Fr 2/28 Jong Ajax v Telstar {7th} Su 3/1 Ajax v AZ Alkmaar {2nd} (Don't mind me, just looking at the busy upcoming schedule).
XI Jong Ajax... New face included. 😉Good luck, Youri! #heljaj pic.twitter.com/AAe5l2mXva— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) February 21, 2020 the youri in question is a 16yo central midfielder
@AjaxYA pic.twitter.com/36k2PCAyq4— AjaxYA_2 📼 (@AjaxYA_2) February 21, 2020 smart determined run, you love to see that
thanks for posting dougtee. It says FOX at the top of the video. Where did you get it? Is the whole game streamable somehow?
You guys slamming on Mendez are really weak. Dude was solid for us in the u20 cup. He's at the best club in the world for development. How many of you internet warriors have done anything? Me thinky NADA! Leave the kid alone.
Mendez scores the second for JAjax and helps makes history. (well, came on in 2nd helft but didn't screw up the math at least... Jong Ajax made history tonight. They named a side with an average age of 18 years and 204 days. The youngest to ever feature in a Keuken Kampioen Divisie game.They won 2-0 at Helmond Sport.Plenty of talent coming through in Amsterdam.— Dutch Football 🇳🇱 (@FootballOranje_) February 21, 2020
1230964735144812545 is not a valid tweet id Mendez has been training with the big boys according to reports on the inter webs.
doesn’t seem like slamming to me honestly. Mostly opinions that they don’t think he will make Ajax first team. Definitely more likely, statistically, that he doesn’t. So pretty safe bet there. when he is on his game though, really fun player. Hope he puts it all together plus adds that little bit of extra athleticism.
I think there's a bit more than that - it's saying he made a very poor choice in joining Ajax if he doesn't make their first team (or another Eredivisie team). Is this the case? Shouldn't the question be: has he gotten better by joining one of the best training programs in the world? He's gotten Jong Ajax minutes and even if it simply shows that his best isn't at this level, what's the downside given that it's not like he's rotting on a bench? Isn't it likely he's a better player than he would be at LAG for the challenge?
That run and finish looked very similar to a goal he scored against Mexico in the U20 Concacaf championship
Sorry for evaluating a soccer player on a soccer message board? No one is attacking his character, worth ethic, ambition. He seems like a great kid. Although I do not trust the Kleiben dude (who you MIGHT be)... he seems like a total weirdo, psycho loose cannon. I, as a US/Ajax fan (and really the only 2 teams I follow very closely), have a vested interest in him. I want what is best for development. I don't think this move was but time will tell.
If Tyler Adams went to Europe instead of playing for RBNY for 2 seasons, would he be where he is now? I highly doubt it. The downside is he's 20 years old next year and STILL hasn't touched a first team bench. It's incredibly rare for a player who isn't a first team regular (let alone make a bench) at that age to become a quality, MNT level player.
That means shit as Frenkie de Jong touched the bench only when 19.5 yo. and had his first serious minutes as a 20 yo and then we're talking about a world class talent already at Willem II compared to Cruijff. Mendez is ready when ready or never. Age doesnot provide clues at all. As has been said in different circumstances "age is just a number".
You're clearly missing my point. Mendez can't even get to a bench. de Jong at 19 was on the bench and getting sparse minutes. He also played in a European final that season. At 20, he was an auto-starter at Ajax. At 21, he was arguably the best player on a team that went to a CL semifinal. At 22 he's the best midfielder at Barcelona. To compare Mendez to de Jong in any way is.... insane?
I'm not comparing Mendez qualities to de Jong's. I point to the fact that even a super talent like de Jong wasnot fast out of the Young team into the 1st team selection and he was dominant in the Y Ajax team. So to expect something alike from Mendez, who lacks the pretrail de Jong obviously had at the Willem II academy, which is a top academy, is a bit much.