PLAYERS YOU'VE GOT TO LOVE - 1: Djalminha

There seems to be a certain type of player that develops a sort of cult following amongst many football fans. They're the sort of player that you can love even though they have never played for the team you support or have any connection to your club or national team. You could like them because they are ridiculously skillful, their passion, the scorer of 'special' goals or even because they have 'a bit' of a temper. They don't even have to be particularly good. I thought I'd write about some of these players that I particularly like over the next few days.

DJALMINHA

Djalminha falls into the category of ridiculously skillful. I think he may be one of the lesser known on my list. For a quick bit of background he was a Brazilian attacking midfielder who I always think of as playing for Deportivo La Coruna (1997-2004). He was also a bit of a handful to manage going by the stories that came out about him towards the end of his time at Depor but if you look up his Youtube highlights you will see how blessed with skills he was. He was a key member of the 2000 La Liga winning Depor side and also won the Spanish cup the following season but after one particular training ground incident in 2002, where he was rumoured to have headbutted manager Irureta, the end of his time at Depor was near. He was loaned out to Austria Wien before being released shortly after. He was a player who never tried the simple ball and loved an opportunity to take on multiple opponents if it was possible. Flick, tricks and arguing is always how I think of him. This may be skewed a bit by his record on an old Championship Manager game where he changed clubs every season after playing only a handful of games.


I think that is probably the reason I like him so much. Amazingly talented and great to watch but you'd probably never want him to play for your team. Inconsistent and confrontational would drive you crazy if you were losing but if you were winning and felt like showboating Djalminha is your man.

If Ajax Didn't Sell

As an Ajax fan I can't help but look around the other European leagues and wonder what would have happened if Ajax were not forced to sell their best players after a season or two. Every time I watch a major Champions League game with my friends I find myself saying "he was at Ajax...he was at Ajax" and then making up a dream Ajax team from players that have played for Ajax in the past 10 year or so.

I know some would say that these players became the stars they are after they left Ajax and started plying their trade in the major European leagues and I would agree. Also I suppose if Chivu was to stay instead of moving to Roma, Vermaelen wouldn't have made it into to the first team. Think of it more as a reunion than a what if.

So for fun I have made up what i think would the dream Ajax team of players still playing today.  I would be interested to know if people agreed or disagreed with my selections and I would love to see your teams. There are a few simple rules which have to be followed.

1. The team has to play a classic 4-3-3 Ajax formation

2. The players ability is his current ability (for example not Jari Litmanen many years ago)

3. They have to have played for Ajax in the last 10 years

My team would be...

  Stekelenburg

van der Wiel      Heitinga       Vermaelen      Chivu

N.de Jong

Sneijder      van der Vaart

Suarez                      Zlatan                   Pienaar

I would have picked Huntelaar but attacking from a wide position I couldn't see him keeping up that unbelievable goal rate and I couldn't be the one to do that. Also with Zlatan there you need someone to do some of the extra work which is where Pienaar comes in.