Ajax announce string of summer friendlies
06 May: Ajax's pre-season campaign for the 2006-2007
season is beginning to take shape. The Amsterdam
club announced a string of pre-season friendlies against Dutch
amateur sides (starting on Saturday 08 July). The club
also confirmed two post-season friendlies in late May, at
amateur sides FC Hilversum and Hierden.
The 2005-2006 season was a long, long ride, due to the
inaugural post-season play-offs in the Dutch Eredivisie. But
apparently Ajax can't get enough of it. The red and white will
play the following post-season friendlies:
- Sat 20 May, 16.00 CET: FC Hilversum - Ajax
- Tue 23 May, 18.30 CET: VV Hierden - Ajax
Ajax will play these matches without the
players who are to perform at the World Cup this
summer. Ajax are expected to field many Young Ajax and
youth players.
Meanwhile, a handful of fixtures have been added to Ajax's
pre-season agenda. The Amsterdammers' first practice game will
be played in their own city, against amateur side
JOS/Watergraafsmeer from Amsterdam-East. More fixtures against
amateur sparring partners might be added to the schedule in
upcoming weeks. Behind the fixtures is the 'town of the action'
in brackets.
- Sat 08 Jul, 15.00 CET, Amsterdam: JOS/Watergraafsmeer -
Ajax
- Tue 11 Jul, 19.30 CET, Bathmen: ABS - Ajax
- Thu 13 Jul, 19.30 CET, Hardenberg: HHC Hardenberg -
Ajax
- Sat 15 Jul, 15.00 CET, Bennekom: Bennekom - Ajax
- Tue 18 Jul, 18:30 CET, Spakenburg: Spakenburg - Ajax
- Tue 25 Jul, (time and location t.b.c.): FC Emmen
- Ajax
As per tradition Ajax will play a number of professional
opponents after these games against amateur sides. According to
reports earlier this season Ajax will go on a training camp in
Germany again, just like in the summer of 2005.
The team will also make a very special trip to England:
on Saturday 22 July the brand-new Emirates Stadium of North
London powerhouse Arsenal will officially be opened. The
opening game is also a testimonial for Dennis Bergkamp,
who will call it quits at the end of the current
season. The featured friendly match is Arsenal vs Ajax: the
current squads of the two clubs will play each other in the
first half, whereas the second half will be an encounter
between two historic 'all-star teams' of the two
clubs. According to reports both Johan Cruyff and Marco van
Basten have already confirmed.
After this tribute to Dennis Bergkamp it is time for the
traditional Amsterdam Tournament at the Amsterdam ArenA. Ajax,
Manchester United, Galatasaray and FC Porto are the
participants. The matches schedule is as follows:
Friday 04 August
- 19.00 CET: Manchester United - Galatasaray SK
- 21.15 CET: Ajax - FC Porto
Sunday 06 August
- 19.00 CET: FC Porto - Galatasaray SK
- 21.15 CET: Ajax - Manchester United
As in previous seasons, Ajax USA will publish the matches
index page for Ajax's pre-season campaign on 01 July. The
fixture list for the new Eredivisie season is normally
published by the KNVB in the first week of July. Ajax USA will
publish it immediately, on the day of
release. Please do not send us
e-mail asking if the fixture list has been
announced yet... As soon as it's there, it'll be on Ajax
USA. (MP)
Source: Ajax.nl
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