'Keizer Piet' signed as Ajax scout

04 April: Legendary left winger, Piet Keizer, returns home, to Ajax. Keizer played for Ajax-1 from 1961 to 1974, winning three European Champions Cups in a row with Johan Cruyff's 'Golden Ajax' from 1971 to 1973. Being a long-time and extremely succesful Ajax player, the fans turned his second name, the Dutch word for 'emperor', into his nickname: 'Keizer Piet'.

Piet Keizer with Johan Cruijff. [Photo: ANP]

Keizer will do both domestic and international scouting for Ajax, in co-operation with his 1970s team-mate, Gerrie Mühren. Ton Pronk, also a former Ajax legend, is in charge of the scouting department. After last year's disastrous season, the club management decided to hire more real Ajacieden for key positions within the club, in order to bring the authentic Ajax feeling back.

Keizer is also a football journalist for popular Dutch magazine Aktueel, as well as a columnist for Ajax Life, the official Ajax fanclub magazine. (MP)

(Source: AT5 Text and Ajax.nl)