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Quelle: uefa.comAjax put faith in Blind
Monday, 14 March 2005
The last AFC Ajax captain to lift the European Champion Clubs' Cup, Danny Blind, was today named as the club's new coach, replacing Ronald Koeman who stood down following the UEFA Cup elimination by AJ Auxerre.
Knocked out
Koeman, 41, was appointed in December 2001 and led the Amsterdam side to the Dutch double in his first season and the championship in 2003/04. However, he saw Ajax knocked out of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup this term, as well as struggle to trouble Eredivisie pacesetters PSV Eindhoven and AZ Alkmaar.
Defensive cornerstone
Like Koeman, Blind is an esteemed former Dutch international, winning many of his 41 caps as right-back in a defence marshalled by Koeman in the centre. Born in August 1961, Blind became Ajax's defensive cornerstone after starting out with Sparta Rotterdam. With Ajax, he won 16 titles including five Dutch championships, three cups and three Super Cups.
European glory
He also claimed the UEFA Cup in 1992, the European Cup, when he captained the team to victory against Milan in 1995, and the European/South American Cup in 1995 and the UEFA Super Cup in 1996. He did not enjoy such success in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, however, missing Ajax's final triumph in 1987 through injury and being sent off in their defeat by KV Mechelen the following year.
Cup hope
Following his retirement, Blind joined the Ajax technical staff before becoming the head of a highly successful youth football department in February 2003. His one realistic chance of silverware this season comes in the Dutch Cup, with Ajax due to meet Willem II in the semi-finals.
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