Ajax blends youth and experience

Published May 16, 2015

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Cape Town - It was former Liverpool defender Alan Hansen who coined the phrase “you can’t win anything with kids”. He was talking about Manchester United at the time - and their introduction of youth products like Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt - and the English Premier League club would go on to make the Scottish defender eat his words.

But that was, perhaps, the exception because, in most cases, it’s extremely difficult to be successful with a squad loaded with youngsters. They are raw and inexperienced, and prone to mistakes at key moments in a match. The secret to success, when committed to a youth policy, is to blend in among the kids a few veterans - experienced players who are able to guide the rookies in troubled times.

This has, without doubt, been the recipe behind Ajax Cape Town’s turnaround this season. After a few years in the doldrums, the Cape club finished in fifth position on the Premier Soccer League standings - and, this afternoon, they take their place in the final of the Nedbank Cup against Mamelodi Sundowns in Port Elizabeth (kick-off 3pm).

The energy and enthusiasm of youth has been brilliantly complemented by the support of the elder statesmen in the squad.

The rookies

Since the establishment of Ajax in 1999 - when Cape Town Spurs and Seven Stars amalgamated to form the Ajax Amsterdam-backed club - they have exposed many talented young players to top-flight football. Over the years, as a new crop is promoted from the youth academy to the PSL squad, there have been a few sparkling individuals - like Steven Pienaar and Thulani Serero.

But, as a whole, previous groups have not been as good as the current bunch. There are many insiders at Ajax who believe that this young squad is probably the most exciting the club has seen. There’s 18-year-old goalkeeper Jody February, Rivaldo Coetzee (18), Abbubaker Mobara (20), Mosa Lebusa (22), Travis Graham (21), Keagan Dolly (22), Toriq Losper (23), Bantu Mzwakali (21), Riyaad Norodien (20), and Tashreeq Morris (21).

Coetzee and Mobara have anchored the Ajax defence with a maturity that belies their tender age; both are gifted and certainly have the ability to make it on the European stage. Lebusa, at left-back, is a joy to watch - a team man, tough in the tackle, good in the air, and excellent when joining the attack. Captain Graham is an industrious and unselfish footballer, Morris sneaks into scoring positions with ease, while Norodien has given notice that he could be the Pienaar or Serero of the bunch.

Mzwakali has come back from injury with renewed confidence. Over the last few weeks, the attacking midfielder from Gugulethu has been brilliant, not only in netting some glorious goals, but also in setting up opportunities for others. He’s a clever footballer, difficult to pin down, and he’ll be a handful for the Sundowns defenders on Saturday.

“When I came back from injury, I wanted to make sure that I got a regular run in the team,” said Mzwakali. “So I worked hard, really hard… the coach (Roger de Sa) believed in me and gave me the opportunities to prove myself. I took it with both hands and I’m glad that all my hard work has paid off.

“The Cup final won’t be easy,” he added. “Sundowns will come at us… after finishing second in the league, they will be desperate to win something. But we are just as motivated, we want to bring the trophy to Cape Town.”

The wise, old heads

The kids of Ajax have blossomed because they have been assisted and guided by the sage advice and guidance of men like Anssi Jaakkola (28), Cecil Lolo (27), Nazeer Allie (29), Granwald Scott (27), Dominic Isaacs (32), Franklin Cale (32), Erwin Isaacs (28) and Nathan Paulse (33).

It’s this exciting blend of youth and experience that has brought the Cape club to on Saturday’s Cup final.

Finnish goalkeeper Jaakkola, who has again been nominated for PSL Goalkeeper of the Year, is a solid and reliable presence between the sticks. His shot-stopping and command of the penalty area infuse the team with confidence, allowing them to remain calm in pressure situations. Right-back Allie seldom plays a bad game, Lolo is “Mr Versatility”, having played in defence, midfield and attack this season, and striker Isaacs has been a fantastic loan acquisition.

Midfielder Scott’s contribution to the squad was highlighted when he was named as Ajax’s Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season. He’s extremely influential and it’s his passion and commitment that drive these youngsters to go the extra mile. Striker Paulse, who has played for clubs locally and abroad, has a wealth of knowledge and he’s always eager to pass on that experience to the up-and-coming players. He’s a team man through and through - and, on the field, he’s just as valuable, both in attack and defence.

Winger Cale has had great success - but he’s still keen for more. He was in the Ajax squad that won the Telkom Knockout Cup and the one that lost the Absa Cup to Santos in 2008. He played for Sundowns and then moved to SuperSport United, where he won the Nedbank Cup and was on the losing side in the MTN 8.

Cup final experience he has in abundance - and his confidence will be crucial for Ajax on Saturday.

“We finished fifth in the league, which was good, but now we want to end the season on a high by winning this trophy,” said Cale. “But we won’t take Sundowns lightly.

“They are one of the best teams in the country, and they have some of the best players in the league. But we also have quality, and I believe that we can match them.”

Weekend Argus

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