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Anyone else think it's a sad day for football when a manager decides he would rather manage a side that would consider finishing in the top 10 in the Premiership a great season over a world famous name like Ajax who can could challenge for a title in a good footballing country like Holland.

I thought it was great that Steve McLaren didnt come back to English football at some run of the mill Premiership team and think guys like Hughes, Curbishley and Allayrdce who have all had a shot at big sides and failed for various reason and won't get another chance at the top should follow McLarens lead and head overseas instead of settling for mid table mediocrity at teams going no where.

Hard to see them really ever trying it out if even a Dutchman would rather manage Fulham over Ajax.

jol is leaving because of a dispute over transfer funds - he's got form for this

In fairness Big Mo is laying down 25 millions for him,Ajax are selling their best and banking the cash Old Marts also has big love for London.

I agree in lots of ways with the sentiments re leaving Ajax.....it's a shame that such a massive club can't keep hold of a decent manager

Also agree re the likes of Hughes, Curbishley etc and the fact that they probably wouldn't have the balls to do a McLaren

However, quite glad to see Tony Soprano back in the PL.....I think he's a very likeable guy and I thought the Yid Army treated him pretty bloody shabbily

Fulham's location is the main attraction, apart from that theres little else. Can't help thinking Hodgson dived out having got them as far as anyone could with a top 7 finish and then, major credit to them, a Uefa Cup final. However once Al-Fayed goes off to meet his maker - probably blaming Prince Philip in his will - the club will lose its financial benefactor and this is very much on the horizon.

With a ground that you would think twice about putting cattle in, and a base crowd of about 15k that will drop by 40% when they are relegated, I'd say Fulhams best days ae in the rear view mirror. That said I have nothing against them, but even with the "lure" of London it still says much about the cash washing about the Prem that a club of their stature can potentially pinch the Ajax boss.

always liked jol, would be happy to see him back in england. always gets his teams to play attacking football as well.

Wooders wrote:jol is leaving because of a dispute over transfer funds - he's got form for this

I was surprised he left Hamburg another big club with a much brighter future than Ajax. Ajax have been a selling club since the late 90's. I reckon that 5 Million they wasted on Kinkladze was what topped them over.

Our Dutch posters may want to correct me but I am sure he said Ajax was his dream job and that he was going to be there for five years.

Goaters 103 wrote:Fulham's location is the main attraction, apart from that theres little else. Can't help thinking Hodgson dived out having got them as far as anyone could with a top 7 finish and then, major credit to them, a Uefa Cup final. However ones Al-Fayed goes off to meet his maker - probably blaming Prince Philip in his will - the club will lose its financial benefactor and this is very much on the horizon.

With a ground that you would think twice about putting cattle in, and a base crowd of about 15k that will drop by 40% when they are relegated, I'd say Fulhams best days ae in the rear view mirror. That said I have nothing against them, but even with the "lure" of London it still says much about the cash washing about the Prem that a club of their stature can potentially pinch the Ajax boss.

You could be right about Fulham but if a manager does well at Fulham, he can get a top PL job as Hodgson has just shown. That's what Jol will be after; to get back a reputation in the PL. Ajax are a top club but their league is nothing. Fulham are one of few clubs who would both employ Jol & still have some funds for him. Whatever slagging the PL has recently taken, it is the best league in the world & this is the kind of thing that proves it.

ant london wrote:I agree in lots of ways with the sentiments re leaving Ajax.....it's a shame that such a massive club can't keep hold of a decent manager

Also agree re the likes of Hughes, Curbishley etc and the fact that they probably wouldn't have the balls to do a McLaren

However, quite glad to see Tony Soprano back in the PL.....I think he's a very likeable guy and I thought the Yid Army treated him pretty bloody shabbily

While you two are right in much, your reasoning has one big flaw. Ajax is not a massive club any more, and Dutch club football is no longer particularly good. You are still thinking of Ajax and Dutch football from 15 years ago. Today Dutch teams constantly fail to make an impression in Europe, they struggle with keeping talented players in the country due to Bosman, and most clubs are financially in dire straits and on the brink of bankruptcy. Revenues are down, and the fact is that teams from other, lesser football countries are catching up. FC Copenhagen, for instance, has a turnover in parity, or slightly bigger, than Ajax. Belgian Standard Liege has reached farther in Europe than any Dutch club the last two seasons. etc., etc.

mr_nool wrote:

ant london wrote:I agree in lots of ways with the sentiments re leaving Ajax.....it's a shame that such a massive club can't keep hold of a decent manager

Also agree re the likes of Hughes, Curbishley etc and the fact that they probably wouldn't have the balls to do a McLaren

However, quite glad to see Tony Soprano back in the PL.....I think he's a very likeable guy and I thought the Yid Army treated him pretty bloody shabbily

While you two are right in much, your reasoning has one big flaw. Ajax is not a massive club any more, and Dutch club football is no longer particularly good. You are still thinking of Ajax and Dutch football from 15 years ago. Today Dutch teams constantly fail to make an impression in Europe, they struggle with keeping talented players in the country due to Bosman, and most clubs are financially in dire straits and on the brink of bankruptcy. Revenues are down, and the fact is that teams from other, lesser football countries are catching up. FC Copenhagen, for instance, has a turnover in parity, or slightly bigger, than Ajax. Belgian Standard Liege has reached farther in Europe than any Dutch club the last two seasons. etc., etc.

Yeah I know what you mean there mate

funny actually as I was going to put, as a postscript, that I always wonder whether European competition might actually be enriched if they could combine the top teams of the Belgian and Dutch leagues so as to provide a more lucrative competition (ie. one which draws better crowds, better quality of football overall....thus more money as they progress further in Europe etc)

was that not mooted at one point as a possibility (with the Old Firm also potentially joining??) or have I made that up?

ant london wrote:

mr_nool wrote:

ant london wrote:I agree in lots of ways with the sentiments re leaving Ajax.....it's a shame that such a massive club can't keep hold of a decent manager

Also agree re the likes of Hughes, Curbishley etc and the fact that they probably wouldn't have the balls to do a McLaren

However, quite glad to see Tony Soprano back in the PL.....I think he's a very likeable guy and I thought the Yid Army treated him pretty bloody shabbily

While you two are right in much, your reasoning has one big flaw. Ajax is not a massive club any more, and Dutch club football is no longer particularly good. You are still thinking of Ajax and Dutch football from 15 years ago. Today Dutch teams constantly fail to make an impression in Europe, they struggle with keeping talented players in the country due to Bosman, and most clubs are financially in dire straits and on the brink of bankruptcy. Revenues are down, and the fact is that teams from other, lesser football countries are catching up. FC Copenhagen, for instance, has a turnover in parity, or slightly bigger, than Ajax. Belgian Standard Liege has reached farther in Europe than any Dutch club the last two seasons. etc., etc.

Yeah I know what you mean there mate

funny actually as I was going to put, as a postscript, that I always wonder whether European competition might actually be enriched if they could combine the top teams of the Belgian and Dutch leagues so as to provide a more lucrative competition (ie. one which draws better crowds, better quality of football overall....thus more money as they progress further in Europe etc)

was that not mooted at one point as a possibility (with the Old Firm also potentially joining??) or have I made that up?

Yeah, that has been up for discussion. One suggestion was Belgium/Holland, another Belgium/Holland/Scotland. Yet another Denmark/Sweden/Norway/Scotland. Neither suggestion has gained any support really, and the grass roots are massively opposed to it.

ant london wrote:Also agree re the likes of Hughes, Curbishley etc and the fact that they probably wouldn't have the balls to do a McLaren

I've said about 20 times that if Hughes didn't get the Liverpool job, I reckon he'll have a go in the Bundesliga.

ross.mcfc wrote:

Wooders wrote:jol is leaving because of a dispute over transfer funds - he's got form for this

I was surprised he left Hamburg another big club with a much brighter future than Ajax. Ajax have been a selling club since the late 90's. I reckon that 5 Million they wasted on Kinkladze was what topped them over.

Our Dutch posters may want to correct me but I am sure he said Ajax was his dream job and that he was going to be there for five years.

He's from Scheveningen. Near Den Haag. So he probably hated ajakkes growing up. He might've said it was his dream job to please the fans but I don't believe him for a second. Jol should never have left Hamburg. Ajakkes have been shit for years now and are debt-ridden. Feyenoord are just about on their last legs. The future in Holland lies with PSV, Twente, AZ and I can see Utrecht joining them in the next 2-3 years.

BlueinBosnia wrote:

ant london wrote:Also agree re the likes of Hughes, Curbishley etc and the fact that they probably wouldn't have the balls to do a McLaren

I've said about 20 times that if Hughes didn't get the Liverpool job, I reckon he'll have a go in the Bundesliga.

what did you say again?

ant london wrote:I agree in lots of ways with the sentiments re leaving Ajax.....it's a shame that such a massive club can't keep hold of a decent manager

Also agree re the likes of Hughes, Curbishley etc and the fact that they probably wouldn't have the balls to do a McLaren

However, quite glad to see Tony Soprano back in the PL.....I think he's a very likeable guy and I thought the Yid Army treated him pretty bloody shabbily

I don't.
He nearly got them relegated the season before he was sacked, they gave him another chance, and when he was sacked they were in the relegation zone again. Fully justified sacking IMO. Especially with the squad he had at his disposal. Ramos came in and won them a cup straight away, although still struggled in the league, but still a lot better than Jol would have done.
People have fond memories of Jol as he's a nice guy. Well nice guys finish last.

Fidel Castro wrote:

ross.mcfc wrote:

Wooders wrote:jol is leaving because of a dispute over transfer funds - he's got form for this

I was surprised he left Hamburg another big club with a much brighter future than Ajax. Ajax have been a selling club since the late 90's. I reckon that 5 Million they wasted on Kinkladze was what topped them over.

Our Dutch posters may want to correct me but I am sure he said Ajax was his dream job and that he was going to be there for five years.

He's from Scheveningen. Near Den Haag. So he probably hated ajakkes growing up. He might've said it was his dream job to please the fans but I don't believe him for a second. Jol should never have left Hamburg. Ajakkes have been shit for years now and are debt-ridden. Feyenoord are just about on their last legs. The future in Holland lies with PSV, Twente, AZ and I can see Utrecht joining them in the next 2-3 years.

Ajax will (unfortunately) bounce back. Feyenoord will defo have some meagre years ahead of them, though. I really hope you're right about Utrecht - the new owner looks solid, and I like what's happening at the club. I'm gonna try to go to more games this season.

mr_nool wrote:

Fidel Castro wrote:

ross.mcfc wrote:

Wooders wrote:jol is leaving because of a dispute over transfer funds - he's got form for this

I was surprised he left Hamburg another big club with a much brighter future than Ajax. Ajax have been a selling club since the late 90's. I reckon that 5 Million they wasted on Kinkladze was what topped them over.

Our Dutch posters may want to correct me but I am sure he said Ajax was his dream job and that he was going to be there for five years.

He's from Scheveningen. Near Den Haag. So he probably hated ajakkes growing up. He might've said it was his dream job to please the fans but I don't believe him for a second. Jol should never have left Hamburg. Ajakkes have been shit for years now and are debt-ridden. Feyenoord are just about on their last legs. The future in Holland lies with PSV, Twente, AZ and I can see Utrecht joining them in the next 2-3 years.

Ajax will (unfortunately) bounce back. Feyenoord will defo have some meagre years ahead of them, though. I really hope you're right about Utrecht - the new owner looks solid, and I like what's happening at the club. I'm gonna try to go to more games this season.

I'm thinking of going to the away leg of the Europa League game in Zurich on the 5th of August. 30 euro's return bus journey, leave Utrecht Wednesday at midnight, get to Zurich 10 in the morning. Then leave Zurich after the game at midnight and get back to Utrecht at 10 on the Friday.

Bingo Lewis wrote:I don't.
He nearly got them relegated the season before he was sacked, they gave him another chance, and when he was sacked they were in the relegation zone again. Fully justified sacking IMO. Especially with the squad he had at his disposal. Ramos came in and won them a cup straight away, although still struggled in the league, but still a lot better than Jol would have done.
People have fond memories of Jol as he's a nice guy. Well nice guys finish last.

The season before he was sacked they finished fifth as they did the season before that. When he was sacked they struggled with injuries and the directors had openly courted Ramos. He also had no control over signings, not suprising they struggled a bit. He did a decent job with Hamburg and Ajax who finished with a points total that would have won them the league any other season. I really don't think he is a bad manager.

Cityfan wrote:

Bingo Lewis wrote:I don't.
He nearly got them relegated the season before he was sacked, they gave him another chance, and when he was sacked they were in the relegation zone again. Fully justified sacking IMO. Especially with the squad he had at his disposal. Ramos came in and won them a cup straight away, although still struggled in the league, but still a lot better than Jol would have done.
People have fond memories of Jol as he's a nice guy. Well nice guys finish last.

The season before he was sacked they finished fifth as they did the season before that. When he was sacked they struggled with injuries and the directors had openly courted Ramos. He also had no control over signings, not suprising they struggled a bit. He did a decent job with Hamburg and Ajax who finished with a points total that would have won them the league any other season. I really don't think he is a bad manager.

Must have been tripping them as I remember them having a really bad season and hovering around relegation. I remember buzzing that they were doing so shit.

Bingo Lewis wrote:

Cityfan wrote:

Bingo Lewis wrote:I don't.
He nearly got them relegated the season before he was sacked, they gave him another chance, and when he was sacked they were in the relegation zone again. Fully justified sacking IMO. Especially with the squad he had at his disposal. Ramos came in and won them a cup straight away, although still struggled in the league, but still a lot better than Jol would have done.
People have fond memories of Jol as he's a nice guy. Well nice guys finish last.

The season before he was sacked they finished fifth as they did the season before that. When he was sacked they struggled with injuries and the directors had openly courted Ramos. He also had no control over signings, not suprising they struggled a bit. He did a decent job with Hamburg and Ajax who finished with a points total that would have won them the league any other season. I really don't think he is a bad manager.

Must have been tripping them as I remember them having a really bad season and hovering around relegation. I remember buzzing that they were doing so shit.

That was Ramos the start of his 2nd season. He won the League Cup but didn't last more than a dozen games (or so) into the following season.