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SPECIAL REPORT: Het Parool column about Ajax USA attendees

15 March: Today's Ajax column in Amsterdam based newspaper Het Parool, written by Jorrit Smink, describes the visit of this year's delegation of Ajax USA members to Friday morning's Ajax-1 traning session at the Amsterdam ArenA. A special "thank you" to Arthur, a regular visitor to the Ajax USA discussion boards, for notifying us and translating the column!

Cleaning guy

After training John O'Brien is met by three American fans. They've brought him cookies. The real Girl Scout cookies, with mint taste, that are unavailable in Holland.

The left back accepts them gratefully and takes his time for an extensive photo shoot with the threesome, two of which are dressed in original Ajax 'bomber jackets'. The group is visiting via the internet site www.ajax-usa.com, made especially for American fans.

Father and son Ernie and Andy Booden and Bob Zylstra came to Holland for the second time through Ajax USA [not entirely true: this was actually our good friend 'Mystery Bob' Zylstra's third Ajax USA trip!!, ed.]. They're on a busy schedule: Zwolle away, Valencia at home, Young Ajax vs Young FC Twente, FC Haarlem vs Go Ahead Eagles (yes, branches count also), the A1 youth (especially for Danny Blind) en then Excelsior at home. And training sessions, of course, because: you're a fan or you aren't.

That they are fans becomes obvious really quickly. Without any trouble they rattle off Ajax's European successes, including all the squads. The don't even forget Arnold Scholten. As true fans they feel at home in Amsterdam. Things are very different in the U.S. Andy has the characters 'AJAX' as his license plate. "Everyone thinks I'm the cleaning guy," he says. "Because of the detergent."

- Jorrit Smink