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Ajax FC Academy

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Ajax Academy is the youth department of former European conquerors AFC Ajax. The main goal of the academy is to have 3 players progress into the AFC Ajax first team every two seasons. The academy is based at the Sportpark De Toekomst in Amsterdam. This is located next to the world renowned Amsterdam Arena Stadium, where AFC Ajax play their home fixtures. Toekomst is consists of 8 training pitches, 4 of which are natural pitches and 4 made of artificial turf.

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“30% Of all the first team players in the top division in Holland, at some point will have attended the AFC Ajax Academy”

AFC Ajax has 12 Academy youth teams plus the first team. The academy has around 220 players, of which 95% have Dutch nationality (Although 50% of there were not born in Holland).

Ajax Academy Recruitment

Ajax Youth Academy has a vast recruitment program, with over 55 scouts worldwide. However, 50 of these scouts are based within the Netherlands, with the main area for recruitment within 50km of Amsterdam. Once a player has been scouted, a scout will invite them to a trial day known as “Talentdagen”. This gives the recruitment team and coaches a great opportunity to assess potential players. The five key areas an Ajax Academy scout looks for in a player are:

Ball control
Positional Play
Movement Habits
Mindset
Technique, Intelligence, Rapidity and Personality

To improve your chances of getting spotted by a profressional team, check out our how to get scouted section.

Notable Ajax Academy Graduates

Over the years, Ajax Youth Academy has produced some of the world’s best talent. A few notable graduates from the academy are:

Johan Cruijff
Marco van Basten
Dennis Bergkamp
John Bosman
Frank de Boer
Ronald de Boer
Frank Rijkaard
Edgar Davids
Patrick Kluivert
Andy van der Meyde
Michael Reiziger
Edwin van der Sar
Clarence Seedorf
Toby Alderweireld
Ryan Babel
Daley Blind
John Heitinga
Nigel de Jong
Wesley Sneijder
Maarten Stekelenburg
Rafael van der Vaart
Thomas Vermaelen
Jan Vertonghen
Gregory van der Wiel
Christian Eriksen

Ajax Youth Academy Coaches

As well as producing great players, Ajax Academy has always had great backroom staff. These coaches are entrusted with the task of influencing and nurturing all of the raw talents that attend the academy. AFC Ajax prefers for all Academy coaches (above u10’s) to have playing experience at the highest level of football. These roles are often given to former players, who are well aware of the clubs culture. There are currently 13 Academy coaches, who play a large role in developing talent, whilst adopting the AFC Ajax style of play. The Ajax Academy coaching strategy is based on the 433 formations, with all age groups at the club adhering to this formation. Training sessions are played at high tempo always with a ball and involving possession games. Tactical training is introduced to players from the age of 12 years old. However weight training is not essential for Ajax Youth Academy players. If a player wishes to increase size and strength with resistance training, then a maximum of 30 minutes a day is permitted.

AFC Ajax Academy Weekly Training Sessions

Player’s under the age of 12 years old take part in a maximum of 3 training sessions per week. While player’s aged 13 years and over attend in 4 sessions per week throughout the season.

Ajax Academy Matches

As the young footballers progress through the Ajax academy age groups, number of players per side in matches also increases. With younger age groups playing with fewer players a smaller pitch.

7 Year olds play matches 8 v 8
8-9 year olds play 9 v 9 matches
10 years old and over play 11 v 11 matches

AFC Ajax’s Youth Team Honours

AFC Ajax Youth Academy is one of the most successful teams in Holland. Below is a list of their recent honours at youth level. Beloften Eredivisie Winners:

1994
1996
1998
2001
2002
2004
2005
2009

KNVB Reserve Cup Winners:

2003
2004

Ajax Academy Vision and Philosophy

Ajax Academy’s home the ‘De Toekomst’ (the future) is well known for its consistency in producing brilliant talent. However it’s not the facilities that create such great players, but the philosophy that oozes throughout player involved at the club. From under 8’s to the first team each player has the same footballing beliefs and feels part of the Ajax family. There is also a strong belief that the academy should be the main player source for the AFC Ajax first team. Meaning the club will only resort to buying players if there are no suitable options within the academy. This belief ensures that if you’re good enough you are guaranteed to get a chance in the first team. The influx of investment and sponsorship for Europe’s super clubs has morphed AFC Ajax from a top European side, into a player production factory. The high wages and transfers funds for top players have led to Ajax having to sell to provide wages for the rest of the squad. This is happening on a seasonal basis, with the best players expected to leave after 2-3 seasons.

AFC Ajax Academy Facilities

Ajax youth Academy has a state of the art training complex, with testing equipment to ensure there players are assess using the current best practices of sport science. The training ground consists of:

14 hectares comprising grass and artificial pitches
Reserve and youth team stadium
Full Sized covered artificial pitch
Indoor training dome with pitch and measurement/testing area
8 playing fields
14 dressing rooms
14 dressing rooms

Ajax Academy Technical Approach

Unlike other major football academies, AFC Ajax has opted to move away from a structure based around one coach per age group. Instead they have different specialist that work with players from all age groups, to ensure he is developed as a whole. This is achieved using five main areas which are called “wheels”:

Age Groups 7-12 – Wheel ‘Onderbouw’
Age Groups 13-16 – Wheel ‘Middenbouw’
Age Groups 17-20 – Wheel ‘Bovenbouw’
The Academy admin is looked after by Wheel ‘Operations’
The three technical managers that look at the different age groups, plus a first team Ajax Culture liaison all sit under the Wheel ‘Technical Management’

Comparing this to other academies where one or two coaches focus on a team of players, Ajax academy have a team of specialist who works to development a player individually. Ajax Youth Academy has players as young as 5 all the way through to the reserve team. These players go through stages focusing on social, technical, tactical and athletic development. In the past Ajax Academy had solely focused on a player’s footballing education, leaving the academic side to their players school. However, this has recently changed with the introduction of the new ‘School Of The Future’ situated at the De Toekomst complex.

Ajax Academy’s School Of The Future

Ajax academy’s now education facility allows players to study next to the playing fields. This allows Ajax to provide personal education for each player to ensure they are fit off the field as well as on it. The school will house a faculty of mentors and tutors schooling the children on subjects such as:

Healthy Nutrition
Healthy Nutrition
Kinesiology
Media Training
Attitude and behaviour
Economy
Taxes and Finance

The school also has its own:

Library
Multimedia Studio
Language/Science labs

This will provide them with all the essentials skill in the business that is modern football. Whilst also allowing the players to flourish at football without sacrificing their studies.

Ajax Academy Training Sessions

Ajax youth academies coaching and training philosophy is centred around the players not overtraining. This is why youth players of 12 years old do not train more than 3 times per week and play only 1 match on the weekend. It is also important to AFC Ajax that there academies players are not kept away from their family and friends for long periods, as the club feel this will affect the player’s social development. Therefore academies players are encouraged to play football with friends in local parks. This free play also helps them develop creativity in a relax environment without the pressure of coaching staff monitoring them.

Ajax Academy Schooling and Education

Unlike some larger football academies, AFC Ajax does not offer a boarding school option for their Academy players. Therefore players must live within 35km of Amsterdam, with a maximum journey time of 90 minutes. The academy look after transport costs for all academy players, with their fleet of 20 branded buses. However parents must pay an annual fee of €12 to cover the insurance for the player.

Ajax Academy Syllabus

Under 8’s Training Guide The stage is geared around building confidence in the fundamentals of the game. Main Formation: 4-3-3 Players on each team: 4 v 4 Pitch Size: 30m x 20m with 1m goals Main training focus:

Passing
Movement
Finess
Ensuring that confidence on the ball is a priority

8-12 Years old training Guide This stage is geared around team spirit building. Formation: 4-3-3 (Training 3 times per week for 12 year olds) Players on each team:

Under 9’s – 6 v 6
Under 10’s – 8 v 8
Under 11’s – 9 v 9
Under 12’s – 11 v 11

Pitch Size:

Under 9’s – 40m x 30m (4m x 2m goals)
Under 10’s – 50m x 40m (6m x 2m goals)
Under 11’s – 60m x 50m (6 x 2m goals)
Under 12’s – Full sizes pitch and goals

Main training focus:

Passing
Receiving
Technical training
Position play
Heading
Finishing

13-16 Years old training Guide Formation: 4-3-3 (15 year olds train 5 times a week) This stage is focused around:

Training with the ball in an accurate and aggressive manner
Short games
Running exercises
Training in short passing
Positional game play

This is also the stage when the coaches state to evaluate players. 17-20 Years old training Guide Formation: 4-3-3 Main training focus:

Skills vs habits
Ball control

Players are also measured on their 5 meter acceleration. This is done by carrying out 30m sprints with sensors. This is important as 5 meter s is the most frequent sprint distance in real match situations. Ajax Youth Academy Progression Every academy player must pass through specific stages as they progress towards the first team. Therefore the players who have been in the academy longer have a better chance of successful progression. In depth performance records are kept on every single player to enable coaches to assess this progress. The key for Ajax Academy coaches is to see how players adopt the academy philosophy and culture. The stages of progression through the academy system are very difficult and can be very stressful for young players. However Ajax believe this tension and stress will differentiate the great players from the players with only potential. This stressful environment is increased at the start of each season, as players are split into status tiers. They are either ‘safe’ or ‘at-risk’. The at-risk players are informed they may be sent home in spring unless they improve. Ajax Academy believes this toughens the players mentally.

Ajax Youth Academy Contacts

For more information on Ajax Academy visit the academy page on their official website. You can also find out what it’s like to train the AFC Ajax way at one of their football camps or clinics. Have you had any experience at the AFC Ajax academy or even one of their Talentendagen? If so, we’d love to know your story. Simply drop a comment below and let others in our community know what to expect.