Ajax A1 winger Tom De Mul to join Ajax-1 to Portugal
16 December: Ajax coach Ronald Koeman confirmed on
Ajax.nl today that Tom De Mul, right winger of Danny Blind's
Ajax A1 team, will go in training with the first team on
05 January 2004. The 17 year-old Belgian will also
join the first team on its January training camp to
South-Portugal, to make his Ajax-1 début in one of the
as yet unconfirmed friendly fixtures over there.
Ronald Koeman stated several weeks ago that he wants at
least one extra option for the position of right winger. Last
season's right winger, Andy van der Meyde, was
sold to Internazionale FC this summer. Steven Pienaar
played on the right flank of the Ajax forward line in the first
months of the season, but the South-African is now injured.
Victor Sikora can also play as a right winger, but Koeman
recently made clear that he is disappointed with
the progress the former Vitesse player has made
as an Ajacied. In recent weeks Koeman usually fielded
central forward Wesley Sonck on the right flank. "Sonck did
fairly well, given the circumstances, but I want to use him as
a central forward. It worked for a while, but we need more
options", Koeman said today.
This summer Ajax boss wanted to sign Kalu Uche,
Nigerian right winger of Wisla Krakow, but the Polish
powerhouse refused to let its superstar go. The player
subsequently went on strike and was suspended by both his club
and the Polish football association. Talks between Ajax and
Wisla Krakow are scheduled for the winter break, but according
to Amsterdam's local television network AT5 an agreement is
unlikely to be reached, due to the transfer fee Wisla Krakow
wants to receive.
Without commenting on the possible purchase of Kalu Uche,
Koeman announced this week that he was going to add a right
winger from the Ajax youth system to the squad. Daniël de
Ridder (19), right winger of Young Ajax, was the first name
that sprang to mind. De Ridder, however, had a poor start of
the season and was recently lectured by the technical staff
for having the wrong attitude. Subsequently De Ridder
had several impressive performances for Young Ajax
in recent weeks. Therefore, Koeman's choice for Tom De
Mul, who came from Ajax's former sister club Germinal Beerschot
Antwerp last season, is a surprising one.
"We feel that he is the greatest talent within the club for
the position of right winger", explained Koeman, "however, he
will not be added to the first squad, as the media are
claiming. He will get a try-out with the first team. After
Portugal we will discuss what we've seen. It is still an option
to sign a more experienced player from outside the club
(...) Tom De Mul is more of a typical Ajax right winger than
any other player within the club. We are looking for someone
who has an individual action, pace and a good cross. Without
wanting to make him lose his head: De Mul fits the
profile."
The young Belgian himself reacted to the news in Belgian
newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws this morning: "I can't
describe how happy I am. I felt like throwing my arms around
Louis van Gaal's neck when he told me the news. This is the
best day of my life."
The Ajax.nl report in which De Mul's try-out is confirmed is
also the first official Ajax publication in which the club
confirms that its winter-break destination will be the
Algarve in South-Portugal. Ajax initially chose for a
training-camp and participation a friendly tournament in the
Middle-Eastern country of Qatar, but the prestigious tournament
(featuring football giants such as Juventus, Manchester United,
Galatasaray, Bayern Munich and River Plate) was called off last
month.
Instead, Ajax ended up booking flights to
South-Portugal again, where the team also prepared for the
second half of the season in January 2002 and 2003. Ajax did
not confirm any friendly fixtures to be played in Portugal as
yet. (MP)
Source: Ajax.nl, Het Laatste Nieuws, VI.nl
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