Americans at Ajax

There are only two American players who ever wore the famous shirt of Ajax. And it may be a long, long time before there is a third.

The first was a talented and extremely popular New Yorker named Edward Hamel (b. 1902), who played for Ajax some eighty years ago: 125 games between 1922 and 1930. More than a decade later he was to pay the ultimate price for being a Jew: Hamel was taken by the Nazis and gassed at Auschwitz in April 1943. You can read Hamel's compelling story in our translation of Simon Kuper's book Ajax, de Joden, Nederland. It is now also available in English in print in Kuper's Ajax, The Dutch, The War.

The second 'Ajax American' is John O'Brien (b. 1977) from the beachside community of Playa Del Rey, California. He entered the Ajax youth system in the summer of 1996, signed his first contract as a pro in March 1998, was loaned out to Eredivisie outfit FC Utrecht in the 1998-1999 season and made his first team début for Ajax on 15 September 1999. Despite flourishes of greatness, O'Brien struggling constantly with injury and rarely kept a first team spot for long. He remained under contract until 2005, when he left for a brief but equally unsuccessful stint at ADO Den Haag. While considerably less dramatic and happier in its outcome, O'Brien's story is also the result of a confluence of exceptional ability and fateful timing.

In most Ajax books and official club histories you will read that John O'Brien was "the first ever American to be under contract to Ajax" or to "be on the Ajax payrole". Before telling Ajax they're wrong, read those words closely... They are, in fact, correct. Eddy Hamel played for Ajax in the days that football in The Netherlands was exclusively played by amateurs. Hamel never signed a contract. He joined the club Ajax as a playing member and was never on a payrole. If anyone claims that O'Brien was the first American to play for Ajax, or to "wear the Ajax jersey", then go ahead and remind that person of Eddy Hamel. His story may never be forgotten.

John O'Brien (second from left), with his Ajax 2 teammates, receives instruction from former Ajax assistant coach Gerard van der Lem in 1996.

Some more information on John O'Brien now...

Afshin Ghotbi, the former director of American Global Soccer School (AGSS) who trained John O'Brien for years before introducing him to Ajax, tells how a young California boy with an Irish surname became the first American Ajacied in the modern era.

"We knew John had ability, and we had several options in mind for him. At the time, I had an assistant who knew someone in the KNVB, and he was able to set up a tryout in the Netherlands.

"John went over, got a good look from Co Adriaanse (youth director at that time). Then later, we convinced Adriaanse to visit us in California. He saw our program, that the quality of talent here was actually quite high. And we were able to get John a place (in the youth academy)."

"Today, it's very difficult. Things are very different from the way they were (with John). Ajax themselves are going through some organizational changes, and everyone is waiting to see what happens with this new transfer ruling.

"Moreover, American players pose a special problem for Ajax, because any player good enough to play for top clubs like Ajax are also good enough to play for the (US) national team, and these players are gone all the time.

Afshin Ghotbi, former Director of AGSS.

"Ajax was not pleased that John was gone for so long with the Olympics and then he came back injured. And it's too bad, because at that time he was playing great football. We saw him in the (Amsterdam) tournament, and he looked fantastic. In the games against Lazio and Arsenal, he was really one of the better players on the pitch."

Finding a place in the youth academy today is virtually out of the question for Americans, according to Ghotbi: "It's almost impossible for an American to get into (the youth program) right now." According to Ghotbi, Ajax are currently focusing almost exclusively on Dutch youngsters, and even those boys need to survive the daunting statistics of Talent Day to get consideration.

Afshin's advice to young Americans with dreams of a professional career at Ajax? "Focus on your own game, your football, and try to reach the highest level you can within your current infrastructure" such as in top amateur clubs for youth, or MLS for older players. "Get yourself a good reputation in the US first. If you're good enough, they'll find you."

But if you feel you're ready, and want to explore your options in Holland now, Afshin recommends that you approach smaller club, even amateur clubs, first. If you can break in there, you stand a better chance of making it to the bigger clubs. "It's a small country. If you're good enough, everybody within Holland will know about you."