The Ajax Youth Academy (Dutch: Ajax Jeugdopleiding) is a football youth academy based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, from where the organization manages a total of 13 youth teams (ages 7–18). The academy is the primary youth clinic of Dutch football team Ajax Amsterdam. The club depends heavily on the youth academy as they move promising youngsters from the youth teams to the senior team where they can showcase their talent and develop into stars. [1][2]
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| Full name | AFC Ajax Youth Academy | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | De Toekomst | |||
| Founded | 18 March 1900 | |||
| Ground | De Toekomst | |||
| Capacity | 5,000 | |||
| Chairman |  Frank Eijken | |||
| Head coach | Saïd Ouaali | |||
| Website | Club website | |||
On 11 September 2020, the CIES released their annual rankings of the clubs having trained the most players active in 31 top divisions of UEFA member associations. The Ajax Youth Academy came in 2nd place to the FK Partizan Academy from Serbia with 77 players footballers trained, while the Serbian side topped the list with 85 footballers trained. In accordance with the UEFA definition, players who were considered have been playing for the club for at least three seasons between 15 and 21 years of age.[3]
History
The Ajax youth system is famous for having produced and still producing many great Dutch internationals like Sjaak Swart, Johan Cruijff, Frank Rijkaard, Dennis Bergkamp, Frank and Ronald de Boer, Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Kluivert, Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder, John Heitinga, Nigel de Jong, Maarten Stekelenburg, and Gregory van der Wiel. [4][5][6][7]
Notable former players
Ajax Online Academy
Central is the style of play (4-3-3, with goalkeeper[8]), training, behavior and house rules.
Ajax has developed the so-called TIPS model, which stands for Technique, Insight, Personality and Speed. For each part there are ten criteria. P and S are generally innate properties, but I and T can always be developed further. Ajax coaching sessions always consists of 8 important football ingredients. Together with TIPS, they form the core to the Ajax success philosophy.[9]
1.Coordination training2.Kicking, Passing and Throw-in3.Moves to beat an opponent4.Heading5.Finishing6.Position play7.Position Game play8.Small sided games
Teams
Youth teams
|
Board and staff
Current staff
Chairman
Frank Eijken
Head coach
Technical director (upper-level A-C)
- Saïd Ouaali
Technical director (mid-level A-C)
- Patrick Ladru
Technical director (lower-level D-F)
- Michel Hordijk
List of technical directors
| Seasons | upper-level A to C | lower-level D to F | |
| 2006–07 | Maarten Stekelenburg | Patrick Ladru | |
| 2007–08 | Maarten Stekelenburg | Patrick Ladru | |
| 2008–09 | Patrick Ladru | ||
| 2009–10 | Patrick Ladru | ||
| 2010–11 | Edmond Claus | ||
| upper-level A to C | mid-level A to C | lower-level D to F | |
| 2011–12 | Wim Jonk | Michel Kreek | Michel Hordijk |
| 2012–13 | Wim Jonk | Michel Kreek | Michel Hordijk |
| 2013–14 | Wim Jonk | Patrick Ladru | Michel Hordijk |
Facilities
Sportcomplex De Toekomst
Sportcomplex De Toekomst is the training grounds of AFC Ajax, with a capacity of 5,000 it serves as home grounds for the reserves team Jong Ajax, its women's team Ajax Vrouwen, its amateur team Ajax Zaterdag as well as for the full youth system. The entire complex consists of seven fields and a trainings center.[10]
adidas miCoach Performance Centre
Established in 2011, the adidas MiCoach Performance Centre is situated on Sportpark De Toekomst. Built by Poly-Ned, it teaches football innovation and training methods and is used by both the first team, as well as the youth teams.[11] Here the players are trained in a scientific manner based on motion analytics to enhance speed, distance, dribbling, heading and shooting.[12] On 28 October 2013 the ceiling of the main hall of the facility had collapsed, which the club in turn had to have rebuilt.[13]
Honours
National titles
- A-junioren Eredivisie : 13
- 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14
- A-junioren Eerste Divisie : 4
- 2004–05, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11
- B-junioren Eredivisie : 4
- 2002–03, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–12
- B-junioren Eerste Divisie : 1
- 2006–07
- C-junioren Algeheel landskampioen : 1
- 2011–12
- C-junioren Eerste Divisie : 2
- 2008–09, 2011–12
- C 2 kampioen : 2
- 2009–10, 2011–12
- D-junioren Algeheel landskampioen : 1
- 2011–12
- D-junioren Eerste Divisie : 7
- 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2011–12
- D 2 District West 1 kampioen : 4
- 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2010–11
- D 3 kampioen : 1
- 2009–10
- E 1 kampioen : 1
- 2004–05
- E 2 kampioen : 2
- 2009–10, 2010–11
- E 3 kampioen : 1
- 2009–10
- F 1 kampioen : 2
- 2009–10, 2010–11
National cups
- A-junioren Cup : 1
- 2009–10
- B-junioren Cup : 2
- 2008–09, 2012–13
- D-junioren Cup : 1
- 2012–13
- F-pupillen District Cup : 1
- 2009–10
Dutch Super Cup
- A-junioren Supercup : 4
- 2005, 2006, 2011, 2014
- B-junioren Supercup : 2
- 2009, 2012
- C-junioren Supercup : 2
- 2012, 2014
- D-junioren Supercup : 1
- 2010
See also
- Ajax Hellas Youth Academy (2011–2016)
References
External links
- Official website
- The academy spotlight: Ajax and Barcelona – These Football Times (2015)
- Ajax FC Youth Academy in Amsterdam – Soccer Tricks (2022)