May 1988

Ajax... Fifteen Years Ago

Five months after the replay of Holland's Euro 88 qualifier against Cyprus, De Meer is once again the venue of a game with no spectactors. Ajax vs FC Haarlem (01 May) is played in an empty stadium. It's the KNVB punishment for the F-Side's pelting of PSV goalkeeper Hans van Breukelen in February. Even the press can't attend. Therefore a special derrick-car is put up outside of De Meer, so that a radio reporter and a Studio Sport TV crew can watch the game over the roof of the main stand. So much effort for such an unimportant game…

There is nothing left to win for Ajax. One goal by Larsson and two by Bosman (one from a penalty), plus an André Sitek strike for the guests, make for a 3-1 result. Frank Verlaat plays the full 90 minutes. What a strange career the 20 year-old defender is having: his second ever Ajax-1 game was a European Cup final (last year in Athens). This season he was leapfrogged in the Ajax hierarchy by young Danny Hesp and had only nine Eredivisie appearances. However, due to Hesp's tragic injury, Verlaat is called upon again, with yet another European final in sight. It seems like his first fifteen Ajax-1 games will soon include two European finals!

On May 04 a persistent rumor becomes a fact: four months after having left Ajax, Johan Cruijff signs a contract at FC Barcelona, the second club he brought glory to as a player. Barça wants to bring the sovereignty of Real Madrid to an end. Cruijff, nicknamed El Salvador in Barcelona, is expected to make it happen. Tonny Bruins Slot, his former assistant at Ajax, will join him.

There's only one more league game to play for Ajax: away to FC Groningen on May 08. Both of the Witschge brothers play from kick-off in a 'full power' Ajax line-up. But the thoughts of the players are already in Strasbourg, so it seems: the hosts book a well-deserved 2-1 win. Edwin Olde Riekerink (1-0), John Bosman (1-1) and Foeke Booy (2-1) are the scorers. Bosman finishes the season with 25 goals. He's done tremendously well as Marco van Basten's successor. But he, too, will almost certainly move on. Persistent rumors have it that the Ajax topscorer will join... KV Mechelen, Ajax's upcoming opponent in the European Cup Winners Cup final!

The 1987-1988 Eredivisie is over and, as every Ajacied will agree, should now be forgotten as quickly as possible. Ajax never had a chance of winning the title. The difference in quality and consistency between PSV and Ajax was probably even larger than the nine point gap in the table suggests...

1.  PSV *             34-59 (117-28)
2.  Ajax **           34-50 (78-40)
3.  FC Twente         34-41 (63-40)
4.  Willem II         34-38 (60-46)
5.  VVV               34-38 (43-35)
6.  Feyenoord         34-36 (63-57)
7.  FC Den Bosch      34-36 (46-46)
8.  Fortuna Sittard   34-35 (51-48)
9.  FC Haarlem        34-34 (42-46)
10. FC Utrecht        34-33 (41-55)
11. FC Groningen **   34-32 (54-52)
12. Sparta            34-32 (44-50)
13. PEC Zwolle        34-29 (40-64)
14. FC Volendam       34-29 (40-66)
15. Roda JC ***       34-28 (46-54)
------------------------------------
16. AZ ****           34-28 (44-64)
17. FC Den Haag ****  34-22 (50-72)
18. DS '79 ****       34-12 (41-100)

* = Champions Cup; ** = UEFA Cup; *** = Cup Winners Cup; **** = relegated. 
Promoted from First Division: RKC, SC Veendam and MVV.

Off to Strasbourg now, where Ajax is generally expected to save its season by winning the second consecutive European Cup Winners Cup. Inside Stade de la Meinau the KV Mechelen fans are heavily outnumbered and outsung by the Amsterdam contingent. Ajax is the clear favourite, but beware: Belgians usually feel well being seen as the underdog. The backbone of KV Mechelen, by the way, is Dutch: coach Aad de Mos, defenders Graham Rutjes and Wim Hofkens, midfielder Erwin Koeman (brother of former Ajacied Ronald) and striker Piet den Boer. Mechelen's Dutchies are hardly known in Holland. They adopted the virtues of Belgian football: modesty and patience.

It's 11 May 1988 and the eleven Ajacieden to break the red and yellow wall are: goalkeeper Stanley Menzo. Defenders Danny Blind, Jan Wouters, Frank Verlaat and Peter Larsson. Midfielders Arnold Scholten, Aron Winter and Arnold Mühren. And, finally, forwards John van 't Schip, John Bosman and Rob Witschge.

Ajax starts remarkably nervously and pays a high price for its shaky defending as early as in the 15th minute. Den Boer sends midfielder Marc Emmers on a free passage to Menzo's goal. A few seconds later Danny Blind (who missed last season's final due to an ankle injury) is on his way to the dressing-rooms. He pulled the emergency brake and fouled Emmers from behind. West-German referee Dieter Pauly pulled out the red card - and was right in doing so. Ajax is down to ten, with 75 minutes to go.

However, the team of ten shows unexpected strength. Ajax gets better and increases the pressure. There are chances: a John Bosman header goes inches over the cross-bar and Aron Winter gets two chances, one just before and one just after the break. Nothing's lost! Ajax can do it with ten!

The game is turned upside down in the 58th minute, as Israeli left winger Eli Ohana takes on the inexperienced Frank Verlaat, slips past him and releases a perfect cross. And there he is: Piet den Boer, stepping away from Peter Larsson, then clinically heading home. This was his moment. The one chance he was waiting for. 1-0 to the Flemish.

The coaches bring on Dennis Bergkamp and Hennie Meijer. Ajax is not beaten yet and gets some of its best chances of the game. A slamming John Bosman header is saved by the frustratingly brilliant Michel Preud'homme. Minutes later he punches a normally unstoppable Bosman volley out of the upper ninety. Ajax has two opponents now: KV Mechelen, defending with all its strength, and the clock. Time ticks away. Ten minutes to go. Five. One. Stoppage time. How much? It's still possible!

The flame of hope is blown out by Pauly's final whistle. It's over. No championship, no KNVB Cup, no European trophy. Nothing. The enormous tensions of a grim season translate into tears, trickling down the cheeks of some of the Ajacieden. Meanwhile, a triumphant Aad de Mos celebrates his revenge in front of the Ajax officials he resents so fiercely. Standing in front of their VIP terrace, he 'gives them the finger'. He was fired in 1985, in a not very elegant way. This is his revenge: the European Cup Winners Cup of 1988 goes to Flanders.

Most of the Ajacieden will have to wait until next season to wash away the bitter taste, but five of them can start with almost immediately: Jan Wouters, Aron Winter, John van 't Schip, John Bosman and 'good old' Arnold Mühren. On 23 May Rinus Michels' Oranje squad for Euro 88 are due at the KNVB headquarters in Zeist. The PSV selectees are granted an extra week off. Their European Champions Cup final against Benfica is yet to be played, on the 25th.

Without its PSV delegation, Oranje plays a friendly against Bulgaria on the 24th, in Rotterdam. Ajacieden Wouters, Mühren, Van 't Schip and Bosman are in the line up, Aron Winter joins them in the second half. Jan Wouters puts Holland in the lead, but Iliev and Penev turn the game upside down between the 83rd and 89th minutes. Holland 1, Bulgaria 2. The next day PSV wins the European Champions cup on penalties, becoming the third Dutch club to win the most prestigious trophy in European football. PSV won everything this season. Ajax won nothing. The contrast is extreme.

Right now, however, no-one in Holland thinks about Ajax, or PSV, or Feyenoord. The national team is all that matters. Even the press is mild after the home loss to Bulgaria. According to the British bookmakers, Holland is a favourite for winning Euro 88. Holland is caught by 'Euro 88 fever' and sees life through orange glasses. The 1987-1988 season is over; time for the dessert. The countdown has begun... (MP)

Next month:

• "Germany, here we come!"... Euro 88!!