Bergkamp to Return? Groningen on Tap

By: Matt | April 11th, 2008

Bergkamp in Ajax kit I hope that got your attention, but I also hope you won’t be pissed off when I tell you it will be as a coach. Because I can now think of two wonderful reasons for KJH to stay one more year. He would get to learn from the Dutch masters van Basten and Bergkamp. Or he could go learn from Bernd Schuster. Putting aside the millions of euros, the fame and glory of La Liga, and perpetual berths in the CL, the choice to remain in Amsterdam seems to be a no-brainer. Yeah?

In other quick bits-o-news, Robbert Schilder will not be back. He was sent out on loan after basically being replaced by Lindgren in January. He will now become yet another Ajax academy graduate who populates the Eredivisie. Someday I might compile a list. Maybe this summer when no one is reading this blog but is instead watching Euro 2008, I mean, MLS. Also, Uri Colonel has been named as the new chairman to succeed John Jaake. I don’t have much to say here, I don’t know the guy. And I barely understand what role the chairman even plays at clubs except for taking the blame for everything after a coach is fired and the team still does not improve. We’ll have to wait and see if this is a good thing.

This weekend’s trip to the Euroborg looks like a three-point trip on paper. FC Groningnen has managed 4 points from their last 6 games. Of course, three of those games were trips to PSV and Heerenveen and NAC at home, all losses. And I haven’t seen Groningnen play for a few months, so who knows what to expect. To continue contending for the title, Ajax must win. PSV has a 5 point advantage. They play FC Twente at home, who have won their last 6. There is a possibility that FC Twente can provide a photo finish next weekend, but I doubt PSV will drop points again (wink, wink).

The match will be a homecoming of sorts for both Luis Suarez and Bruno Silva, a pair of Uruguayans Ajax lifted from Groningen. While they parted with Silva at least agreeably, the Suarez affair got ugly. There was some mix-up, as Suarez wanted to go to Ajax, Groningen gave Suarez a transfer figure, Ajax met it, and Groningen said no. The case went to court, Suarez and Ajax lost, but Groningen knew it was only a legal victory. They sold a year later. So I expect Suarez to be booed lustily. It’s funny how life works. KJH leaves AGOVV, and the team names a section of stands after him. Suarez leaves Groningen, and they despise him. There must be some difference in circumstance, I guess.

And certainly there is. Groningen has gotten ambitious. Scouts in Uruguay brought them Silva and Suarez. When they left, enter Matias Cahais and Marcus Berg. The former, an Argentinian youth international, turned down Real Madrid and moved to Groningen from Boca Juniors. The latter is a Swedish striker who recently made his international debut. Berg has 15 on the season, but a back injury has kept him out for about a month. Groningen has participated in the UEFA Cup two years running, and they want to get back there.

So there is certainly a lot of incentive for a win against Ajax. They want to go to Europe, and they are tired of looking like an Ajax feeder club (Suarez, Silva, and Rasmus Lindgren, who was originally an Ajacied). They will come out ready, and we will have to match them.

So I am going to go with 1-2 Ajax

Huntelaar 32′
Lovre 61′
Suarez 68′