Front Office Moves

As the quiet off-season continues for Ajax, one of the more potentially eventful happenings are taking place. Five new board of directors are taking over Ajax in an attempt to once again regain their lofty place in European Football. This stems from previous conflicts within the board and Ajax's most famous Alum Johann Cruyff, on how the legendary club should be run.

From the style of play, to how to bring up young Ajax academy players to the first team, Cruyff in previous times has lost these types of battles with the previous leadership of the board. From the issues of having attacking football ally Louis Van Gaal, the coach who led Ajax to their last titles in Europe, The UEFA Cup in 1992 and the UEFA Champions League Title in 1995— forced out as technical director in favor of Then coach Ronald Koeman in 2005 as they clashed in ideas about the Ajax 'Style'. Also losing out in a similar battle with then coach and former protege Marco Van Basten over the same thing when Basten was coach in 2008. It seems like now Cruyff has gained the upper hand as Ajax's attempts to get pragmatic may have worked for the short term but hasn't gotten them very far.

"The planned AFC Ajax member council meeting took place on Monday evening (June 7, 2011) in the Amsterdam ArenA,'' read a club statement.

"During the meeting, the member council agreed with the nomination committee's proposal to place five candidates on the list for appointment for the board of AFC Ajax NV.

"The recommended candidate commissioners are Steven ten Have (probable chairman), Paul Romer, Marjan Olfers, Edgar Davids and Johan Cruyff. These last three enjoy the special trust of the AFC Ajax association.''

Edgar Davids, an integral part of that 1995 Champions League winning team also stands out here as one of the key players of the last era of Ajax's European dominance.

The accepting of the new board members by shareholders should be a formality at a general meeting in August.