Boro sign Afonso Alves

18M euro transfer fee.

http://www.vi.nl/NieuwsItem/AlvesDuursteAankoopAllerTijdenVanAZ.htm

So Afonso Alves snubbed Spurs & Everton in favour of going to AZ. Wise man.

Wow, a great deal for Heerenveen.

So AZ might still be a title contender

Interesting, I didn't expect it to be honest : I thought Afonso would go abroad...

christmasicross wrote:Wow, a great deal for Heerenveen.

Think AZ made the best deal. But don't expect Heerenveen to suffer, they have plenty of talented attackers to take his place. Anway Heerenveen had to sell him, makes no use keeping a player agianst his will, is counter-productive in the long run.

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:Think AZ made the best deal.

Hmm, not sure, 18m ist a lot of money, even for the Dutch Chelsea I think. What do they pay Alves per year at AZ and why didn´t they try to sign Huntelaar instead?

Axeslammer wrote:So AZ might still be a title contender

Interesting, I didn't expect it to be honest : I thought Afonso would go abroad...

Could well be.

And because of those striking policemen, we're the only club having to play AZ + Alves twice.

christmasicross wrote:

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:Think AZ made the best deal.

Hmm, not sure, 18m ist a lot of money, even for the Dutch Chelsea I think. What do they pay Alves per year at AZ and why didn´t they try to sign Huntelaar instead?

Huntelaar is an overrated striker (and would have been twice as expensive). A poor man's RVN. Van Gaal knows. I would pick Alves over Huntelaar any time.

Huntelaar is top goalscorer in the Dutch league (lots of goals v Cr@p clubs), but has NOT played well this season (a view of nearly every Ajax fan too). Huntelaar is a great poacher, but that's it, he's slow & you need to make your entire team play for him, he limits tactical options.

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:

christmasicross wrote:

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:Think AZ made the best deal.

Hmm, not sure, 18m ist a lot of money, even for the Dutch Chelsea I think. What do they pay Alves per year at AZ and why didn´t they try to sign Huntelaar instead?

Huntelaar is an overrated striker (and would have been twice as expensive). A poor man's RVN. Van Gaal knows. I would pick Alves over Huntelaar any time.

Huntelaar is top goalscorer in the Dutch league (lots of goals v Cr@p clubs), but has NOT played well this season (a view of nearly every Ajax fan too). Huntelaar is a great poacher, but that's it, he's slow & you need to make your entire team play for him, he limits tactical options.

Twice as much? Seems he´s getting more and more expensive then, I thought Ajax wanted something around 20m for him.

Anyway, I didn´t see much from both Alves and Huntelaar, but I was always somewhat sceptical about Alves. With regard to Huntelaar I know the Werder Bremen management seem(ed) to rate him quite highly and so do many Bremen fans. He was and is too expensive for us though.

christmasicross wrote:

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:

christmasicross wrote:

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:Think AZ made the best deal.

Hmm, not sure, 18m ist a lot of money, even for the Dutch Chelsea I think. What do they pay Alves per year at AZ and why didn´t they try to sign Huntelaar instead?

Huntelaar is an overrated striker (and would have been twice as expensive). A poor man's RVN. Van Gaal knows. I would pick Alves over Huntelaar any time.

Huntelaar is top goalscorer in the Dutch league (lots of goals v Cr@p clubs), but has NOT played well this season (a view of nearly every Ajax fan too). Huntelaar is a great poacher, but that's it, he's slow & you need to make your entire team play for him, he limits tactical options.

Twice as much? Seems he´s getting more and more expensive then, I thought Ajax wanted something around 20m for him.

Anyway, I didn´t see much from both Alves and Huntelaar, but I was always somewhat sceptical about Alves. With regard to Huntelaar I know the Werder Bremen management seem(ed) to rate him quite highly and so do many Bremen fans. He was and is too expensive for us though.

Bremen fans should be glad if you don't get Huntelaar. He's good in Youtube-clips & virtual Football Manager games. Players should be judged on watching them play every single minute of a match.

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:

christmasicross wrote:

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:

christmasicross wrote:

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:Think AZ made the best deal.

Hmm, not sure, 18m ist a lot of money, even for the Dutch Chelsea I think. What do they pay Alves per year at AZ and why didn´t they try to sign Huntelaar instead?

Huntelaar is an overrated striker (and would have been twice as expensive). A poor man's RVN. Van Gaal knows. I would pick Alves over Huntelaar any time.

Huntelaar is top goalscorer in the Dutch league (lots of goals v Cr@p clubs), but has NOT played well this season (a view of nearly every Ajax fan too). Huntelaar is a great poacher, but that's it, he's slow & you need to make your entire team play for him, he limits tactical options.

Twice as much? Seems he´s getting more and more expensive then, I thought Ajax wanted something around 20m for him.

Anyway, I didn´t see much from both Alves and Huntelaar, but I was always somewhat sceptical about Alves. With regard to Huntelaar I know the Werder Bremen management seem(ed) to rate him quite highly and so do many Bremen fans. He was and is too expensive for us though.

Bremen fans should be glad if you don't get Huntelaar. He's good in Youtube-clips & virtual Football Manager games. Players should be judged on watching them play every single minute of a match.

I will quote you in the next "Bremen fans dream of Huntelaar" thread then.

christmasicross wrote:

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:

christmasicross wrote:

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:

christmasicross wrote:

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:Think AZ made the best deal.

Hmm, not sure, 18m ist a lot of money, even for the Dutch Chelsea I think. What do they pay Alves per year at AZ and why didn´t they try to sign Huntelaar instead?

Huntelaar is an overrated striker (and would have been twice as expensive). A poor man's RVN. Van Gaal knows. I would pick Alves over Huntelaar any time.

Huntelaar is top goalscorer in the Dutch league (lots of goals v Cr@p clubs), but has NOT played well this season (a view of nearly every Ajax fan too). Huntelaar is a great poacher, but that's it, he's slow & you need to make your entire team play for him, he limits tactical options.

Twice as much? Seems he´s getting more and more expensive then, I thought Ajax wanted something around 20m for him.

Anyway, I didn´t see much from both Alves and Huntelaar, but I was always somewhat sceptical about Alves. With regard to Huntelaar I know the Werder Bremen management seem(ed) to rate him quite highly and so do many Bremen fans. He was and is too expensive for us though.

Bremen fans should be glad if you don't get Huntelaar. He's good in Youtube-clips & virtual Football Manager games. Players should be judged on watching them play every single minute of a match.

I will quote you in the next "Bremen fans dream of Huntelaar" thread then.

Fine with me. Really hope you guys can do Bayern this season. My Schalke surely aren't capable of it.

Perez Hilton back to ajax and now Alves to AZ...awful deal imo. If their silly chairman paid this in August AZ would be the main candidate now will have to wait.

I think AZ have spend 50 million euros now...and they are nr10 of the Dutch league..that's nothing less then a disgrace! If van Gaal dont win it this year, his career is over.

christmasicross wrote:
I will quote you in the next "Bremen fans dream of Huntelaar" thread then.

Nonsense : typical Feyenoord prejudice against an Ajax player.

Huntelaar is having a horrid season.....and *still* he has managed to score 16 times

I don't know exactly what to think of him, but he *will* score goals that's for sure.

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:
Fine with me. Really hope you guys can do Bayern this season. My Schalke surely aren't capable of it.

Well, the Schalke president still expects at least a place among the top 3, and they have the big advantage not to play in the UEFA Cup. So who knows, with Albert Streit bringing some creativity back as well as a few dangerous free kicks per game and the potential signing of this Ze Roberto II fellow...

Never expected to see this. Have AZ blown their entire transfer budget on him or do they have other signings in the pipeline?

How will Alves line up with both Ari and Dembele?

Axeslammer wrote:

christmasicross wrote:
I will quote you in the next "Bremen fans dream of Huntelaar" thread then.

Nonsense : typical Feyenoord prejudice against an Ajax player.

Huntelaar is having a horrid season.....and *still* he has managed to score 16 times

I don't know exactly what to think of him, but he *will* score goals that's for sure.

We have quite a few Bremen fans (currently) living in Dutchieland following the Eredivisie posting on the Bremen board. If I remember it correctly they all rate(d) Huntelaar as well.

Like I said I can´t really say much about him, but he was the big wish as Klose successor for the great majority of Bremen fans.

Cesc wrote:Never expected to see this. Have AZ blown their entire transfer budget on him or do they have other signings in the pipeline?

How will Alves line up with both Ari and Dembele?

Nah, they dont really have a transferbudget. They work with 18 million a year or something. The chairman pays the transfers.

This means that Pelle their previous most expensive player is allready on a dead track.

Axeslammer wrote:

christmasicross wrote:
I will quote you in the next "Bremen fans dream of Huntelaar" thread then.

Nonsense : typical Feyenoord prejudice against an Ajax player.

Huntelaar is having a horrid season.....and *still* he has managed to score 16 times

I don't know exactly what to think of him, but he *will* score goals that's for sure.

Just talk to Ajax fans -as I did-, who watch him play every single minute and they'll tell you Huntelaar is playing shite too (checkout some Ajax forums if you don't believe me). Recently pundits have been saying exaclty the same.

I can judge players without biass (apparently you can't. zoals de waard is...) Suarez is worldclass. van der Heijde is a world class talent (I was the first to mention his name on this very MB) Huntelaar is just very good. I give credit when it's deserved.

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:
Just talk to Ajax fans -as I did-, who watch him play every single minute and they'll tell you Huntelaar is playing shite too (checkout some Ajax forums if you don't believe me). Recently pundits have been saying exaclty the same.
.

They should look with their eyes and brain connected : how many times do you see Huntelaar on the wings or in midfield with the ball in his feet ?

(I'll help you : it's quite often)

If that doesn't strike you as odd/wrong then you shouldn't be judging KJH.

Gertjan Verbeek (who knows how to get KJH to perform) has gone on record to say that Ajax is not using KJH in the right way : the only thing KJH should do is be in the box...and *stay* there !
Under GJV it was forbidden for KJH to do all the things he's doing now at Ajax....and not for no reason : he's no good at it anyway, but it also hurts his natural game.

Ajax has been a graveyard for talents for a couple of years now and it looks like they're also destroying KJH. I don't know if the boy is truely great, but I do know that if you use him right (he'd be perfect in any Italian team) he's gonna do a whole lot better than he's doing at Ajax right now.

http://ajax.netwerk.to/forums/HTML/forum11/3417-36.php

just read the posts on Huntelaar in December....

These are people who watch him play every single minute...

Thought you were smarter than come up with things like typical Feyenoord prejudice (which is prejudice from your side). If you would have been reading my judgements on Ajax players, you would know my judgement is pretty fair (pretty sure Rai would agree)

christmasicross wrote:
Like I said I can´t really say much about him, but he was the big wish as Klose successor for the great majority of Bremen fans.

I'll agree with JdG, but for a whole different reason : I rate KJH more than he does, but I don't think he'd suit your style of play at all.

Would you like a Pippo Inzaghi at your club ?

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:http://ajax.netwerk.to/forums/HTML/forum11/3417-36.php

just read the posts on Huntelaar in December....

These are people who watch him play every single minute...

Thought you were smarter than come up with things like typical Feyenoord prejudice (which is prejudice from your side). If you would have been reading my judgements on Ajax players, you would know my judgement is pretty fair (pretty sure Rai would agree)

By the way his match ratings in both VI and Telegraaf have not been good either.

What is your judgement based on? His time at Heerenveen, watching highlights?

Fucking hell £12m ish is a massive amount for AZ to spend but a great buy.

Sgoater1 wrote:Fucking hell £12m ish is a massive amount for AZ to spend but a great buy.

Their owner is rich. Lucikily the fucked up in the previous transfer window when it came to singing Alves (they tried to get a few M of the price, which resulted in not getting him). If they can start 2008 with a string of wins they could be back in the title race again.

Spending the money makes sense. A certified goalscorer was the only thing lacking.

Will be interesting to see what the other big 3 do. Ajax have plenty of cash (Sneijder transfer fee), but will find it difficult to land a top quality replacements. Feyenoord have to be creative (we're not rich), strengthening is needed, we don't have any serious back up in a few positions. If somehting happens to Makaay we're fucked. Don't expect PSV to make big signings, their chances will depend on how their new interim manager Vergoossen does & on how they do in the UEFA Cup.

This is the most diificult to call season for ages.

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:

Sgoater1 wrote:Fucking hell £12m ish is a massive amount for AZ to spend but a great buy.

Their owner is rich. Lucikily the fucked up in the previous transfer window when it came to singing Alves (they tried to get a few M of the price, which resulted in not getting him). If they can start 2008 with a string of wins they could be back in the title race again.

Spending the money makes sense. A certified goalscorer was the only thing lacking. And a great good decent keeper.

Will be interesting to see what the other big 3 do. Ajax have plenty of cash (Sneijder transfer fee), but will find it difficult to land a top quality replacements. Feyenoord have to be creative (we're not rich), strengthening is needed, we don't have any serious back up in a few positions. If somehting happens to Makaay we're fucked. Don't expect PSV to make big signings, their chances will depend on how their new interim manager Vergoossen does & on how they do in the UEFA Cup.

This is the most diificult to call season for ages.

yep

Good call, forgot about the goalie (always do). They should get Velthuizen or Krul.

DD wrote:

2008: De Guzman's year wrote:

This is the most diificult to call season for ages.

yep

Erm : last season a single goal from any of three teams in the last 10 minutes of the competition was enough for the title...

(I do agree though )

Good signing, but isn't Alves too 'big' for the eredivisie? I can't imagine him wanting to stay very long at AZ.

About Huntelaar, I do rate him but as has been said, he's having a very bad season (and still scoring). He's not really a nice player to watch, but as a poacher he's very good. I do think that in a good team such as Man Utd or Milan he wouldn't look out of sorts at all and would be a potential league top scorer.

I think his bad form is pretty much a reflection of the state of Ajax. Huntelaar depends a lot on his teammates creating things and giving good assists but there really isn't a team at all.

Is he as good as RVN? Definately not! Will he be as good? Probably not but he can still go on to do great things.

Lastly, while in the last year or so he's been turning in a bit of a git, I do think he has the mentality of a top player. He does really want to perform, can handle the stress and pressure and beliefs in training, training and training. While the last should be a given for top players, too many players just think they have a 'gift' they don't need to develop further (or don't know the concept).

Sgoater1 wrote:Fucking hell £12m ish is a massive amount for AZ to spend but a great buy.

£13m is a massive unheard amount for the Eredivisie. Huntelaar was expensive but not nearly as expensive as Afonso.

Afonso would have fit any club in the world to be honest. AZ needed to do something: after Koevermans panicked and spat his dummy and moved this summer. Add that to Arvaladze (legend) leaving the were in need of scorers. Pelle has been abso-fooking-lutily wank. Dembele is good enough but he can't lead AZ on his own.

At least we can write off Afonso to Citeh.

Anyway, about Huntelaar, he's a very good poacher but nothing on Ruud (few can admittedly). Just a bit younger pacier and more arrogant. A twat.
Huntelaar is taylor-made for Italy.

AcciDrenthe wrote:Good signing, but isn't Alves too 'big' for the eredivisie? I can't imagine him wanting to stay very long at AZ.

About Huntelaar, I do rate him but as has been said, he's having a very bad season (and still scoring). He's not really a nice player to watch, but as a poacher he's very good. I do think that in a good team such as Man Utd or Milan he wouldn't look out of sorts at all and would be a potential league top scorer.

I think his bad form is pretty much a reflection of the state of Ajax. Huntelaar depends a lot on his teammates creating things and giving good assists but there really isn't a team at all.

Is he as good as RVN? Definately not! Will he be as good? Probably not but he can still go on to do great things.

Lastly, while in the last year or so he's been turning in a bit of a git, I do think he has the mentality of a top player. He does really want to perform, can handle the stress and pressure and beliefs in training, training and training. While the last should be a given for top players, too many players just think they have a 'gift' they don't need to develop further (or don't know the concept).

Ruud is one of the best poachers ever. Huntelaar may or may not achieve those heights (probs not) but he's still a shithot poacher. And he tends to deliver in some big matches. But he's too dependet on wingers and proper delivery too function well.
Just a young Ruud really.