Jong Ajax
Jong Ajax (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈjɔŋ ˈaːjɑks]) (English: "Young Ajax"), also referred to as Ajax II or Ajax 2, is a Dutch association football team. It is based in Amsterdam and competes in the Dutch Eerste Divisie.[4]
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| Full name | Jong Ajax | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Joden (Jews) Godenzonen (Sons of the Gods) | ||
| Founded | 18 March 1900 | ||
| Ground | De Toekomst, Amsterdam (Ouder-Amstel) | ||
| Capacity | 2,250[1][2] | ||
| Chairman | Frank Eijken (chairman of AFC Ajax)[3] Pier Eringa (chairman of board of directors of AFC Ajax NV) | ||
| Manager | Dave Vos | ||
| League | Eerste Divisie | ||
| 2022–23 | Eerste Divisie, 13th of 20 | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
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History
Jong Ajax (formerly more commonly known as Ajax 2). The team is composed mostly of professional footballers, who are often recent graduates from the highest youth level (Ajax A1)[5]
Since 1992 Jong Ajax have competed in the Beloften Eredivisie, competing against other reserve teams such as Jong PSV, Jong FC Groningen or Jong AZ. It has won the Beloften Eredivisie title a record eight times, as well as the KNVB Reserve Cup three times, making it the most successful reserve squad in the Netherlands. By winning the Beloften Eredivisie title, Jong Ajax were able to qualify for the actual KNVB Cup, even advancing to the semi-finals on three occasions. Its best result in the Dutch Cup was under manager Jan Olde Riekerink in 2001–02, when a semi-final loss to FC Utrecht in a Penalty shoot-out after extra time, which saw Utrecht advance, and thus preventing an Ajax vs. Jong Ajax Dutch Cup final.[6]
The 2013–14 season marked the Jupiler League debut of the AFC Ajax reserves' squad Jong Ajax.[7] Previously playing in the Beloften Eredivisie (a separate league for reserve teams, not included in the Dutch professional or amateur league structure) players were allowed to move around freely between the reserve team and the first team during the course of the season.[8] This is no longer the case as Jong Ajax now registers and fields a separate squad from that of Ajax first team for the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of professional football in the Netherlands. Its home matches are played at Sportpark De Toekomst, except for the occasional match in the Amsterdam Arena. The only period in which players are able to move between squads is during the transfer windows, unless the player has made less than 15 appearances for the first team, then he is still eligible to appear in both first team and second team matches during the course of the season.[9] Furthermore, the team is not eligible for promotion to the Eredivisie or to participate in the KNVB Cup. Jong Ajax was joined in the Eerste Divisie by Jong FC Twente and Jong PSV, reserve teams that have also moved from the Beloften Eredivisie to the Eerste Divisie, replacing VV Katwijk, SC Veendam and AGOVV Apeldoorn, and increasing the total number of teams in the league from 16 to 20.[10]
Jong Ajax left the Beloften Eredivisie in 2013, having held a 21-year tenure in the reserves league, and having won the league title a record eight times (1994, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2009).[11]
Players
Current squad
- As of 12 September 2023
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Staff
- Manager: John Heitinga
- Assistant manager: Michel Kreek
- Goalkeeper coach: René Stam
- Technical Coach: Gerald Vanenburg
- Team manager: Herman Arendse
- Physio: Tim Glazenburg
- Team physician: Maikel van Wijk
Former head coaches
Aad de Mos- Pieter Huistra
- Adrie Koster
- Michel Kreek
- Alfons Groenendijk
- Jan Olde Riekerink
- Sonny Silooy
- Marco van Basten
- Louis van Gaal
- John van 't Schip
- John van den Brom
- Gerard van der Lem
- Hans Westerhof
- Aron Winter
- Fred Grim
- Gery Vink
- Marcel Keizer
- Michael Reiziger
- Mitchell van der Gaag
- John Heitinga
Honours
National
- Eerste Divisie (1): 2017–18
- Beloften Eredivisie (8): 1994, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2009
- KNVB Reserve Cup (3): 2003, 2004, 2012
- KNVB Amateur Cup (1): 1984
- KNVB District Cup (4): 1984, 1987, 1993, 1994
- KNVB Raven Cup (1) : 1956
International
- HKFC International Soccer Sevens Main Tournament – Shield winners: 2010
Other trophies
- Den Helder Maritime Tournament (2): 1996, 2010
See also
- Ajax Youth Academy, Youth Academy of the club
References
- "De Toekomst - de Club".
- "De Toekomst – Ajax". AFC Ajax Amsterdam. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- "Bestuur". ajax.nl. Archived from the original on 13 May 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
- "Reserveteams Ajax en Twente in Jupiler League". AD.nl. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- "De Boer laat 'herstelde' Sulejmani bij Jong Ajax". Volkskrant. 19 October 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
- "Dutch KNVB Cup – ESPN Soccernet". Soccernet.espn.go.com. 24 September 2008. Archived from the original on 5 September 2009. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
- "Jong Ajax wordt tegen Telstar ontgroed in Eerste Divisie". Ajaxlife.nl. Archived from the original on 23 September 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- "Reserveteams Ajax en Twente in Jupiler League". AD.nl. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- "Jong PSV vervangt Katwijk in eerste divisie". NU.nl. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- "Ook Jong PSV naar Jupiler League". NOS.nl. 5 June 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- "Beloften Eredivisie Statistics". Voetbal International. Archived from the original on 22 February 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.