What makes you think that?
It's sad, Ajax can never start bridging the gap to other teams in Europe. First English clubs have more money which is far, but now English clubs mainly start poaching the best young players with money as well, which means they lose out on a lot of talent which we cant buy in later stages as they are too expensive then and all others are probably in English academy's already.
To be fair I don't think we actually lost any of our most important talents before they made their debut yet..
Ehm Fosu Mensah, Malen, Castillo, now Redan were all amongs the highliest rated in their groups.
All highly rated and very talented but none of them were of the very top talent tier which is what I'm talking about.
I think it's a bit different, from a small academy to Ajax, it increases the chance of a player getting to the top, better facilities, better trainers, more competition etc, it's clearly a step up for a lad, clubs are often even proud seeing their players go to Ajax, clubs like Zeeburgia have gotten status for that as it attracts much other talents to their club who are hoping for similar. Sorry to say but from Ajax' academy to Chelsea's, United's, Arsenal's isnt really a step up, it's just signing for more money and less chance to actually breakthrough.
You could argue Malen isnt but the others certainly are unless you mean Mbappe's, Hazards, Messi's bracket.
Well I don't agree with that (btw neither do the other people I know who watch our youth) so I guess we have to agree to disagree.
That's fine, but if they arent why do you think many top clubs are so keen on signing them at this age, and in our academy, who do you think are the best rated? Im curious. Redan is I think the most prominent talent currenrly after Unuvar/Zamani.
Because they are good talents. Look I don't say they are all scrubs and won't make it. They are good talents, some of them even very good ones. And as talent is not everything some of them could become as good (or even better) players than those who are more talented. I'd love to keep them all for sure. I just say they haven't been THE outstanding talents and I don't think they've been the highest rated talents of our academy either. TFM for example was rated very highly but Riedewald was always rated even higher and he's only one year (and a bit) older than TFM.
Fair enough, I rate Riedewald quite highly and think he has lots of potential but needs to get the concentration.But currently in the academy, who do you think are of that tier? Who are the outstanding talents? A Redan who is playing above his age and still the best player in the team, scoring and creating for fun, I wonder if Im missing some players.
Yeah but he's played one or even two years higher as well right? I think it's better for him to absolute excell in one first and then move higher. But even him and Unuvar are followed by United as well.
I don't think playing above his age is worth too much. A lot of that is about having a great and more developed physique, not talent. You see we have Gravenberch who is 14 and plays against players who are mostly 16+. Tbf he's a great talent but of the highest order? Sadly these days I don't have time to follow all our youth but I think Unuvar is buitencategorie and I like Sontje Hansen a lot. De Ligt was also one but of course he's not an academy player anymore now and the same is true for Kluivert.
Okay lets agree to disagree then! De Ligt en Unuvar are absolutelu of the highest order yes, but the goals I have seen Redan score, his finishing, he even played from the right last season and excelled, excelled in the Dutch u17's as well lately, I think it's more than physique. Imo not less of a talent that Kluivert who's lack of physique ironically can hold him back. If he gains he'll lose his quickness and agility imo which are his weapons, of he stays the same he 'll be found light weight at a given point.
Yes, he did seem a bit stronger if I can remember than the others but he looked excellent last season in the few videos I saw. Is he highly rated generally too?
