Ajax's new 'Greek god'

By Berend Scholten

On his first day at AFC Ajax, Ioannis Anastasiou was taken on a tour of the Amsterdam ArenA by team manager David Endt. On the way to the dressing rooms, they ran into assistant coach Tonny Bruins Slot. Giving the Greek striker a friendly pat on the shoulder, he smiled and said: "We have a true Greek god with us now. Ajax was a Greek god, so it's a perfect match."

Seasoned striker
In a team where young players have thrived in recent years, the decision to sign a 30-year-old might be seen as something of a surprise. However, with injuries biting hard in Ajax's battle for the Dutch title, coach Ronald Koeman and sporting director Louis van Gaal went straight for Anastasiou.

'Best option'
"Ioannis was the best option for us," said Koeman. "He adds quality where we have the most problems. He has everything needed to be successful as an Ajax No9. He brings scoring ability with him and - what is very important for a young team like ours - experience."

Youth opportunities
Injuries to first-choice forwards Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wesley Sonck have stretched Ajax to their limits, as Van Gaal explained: "Last week we had to pick a 17-year-old, Ryan Babel, up front and he did an excellent job. But he has just turned 17, and since we already have so many young players in our team, you have to make sure they don't drown."

Surprise move
If bringing Anastasiou to Ajax was a sensible move for Koeman and Van Gaal, it was something of a surprise to the player. He was turning out for Roda JC on the evening of Friday 31 January, scoring in a 3-1 win against AZ Alkmaar, when he first heard that Ajax were interested. Within three days he had signed.

Media frenzy
"Greek radio, television, newspapers - everyone called me," said Anastasiou. "It was extremely hectic. And then, after signing the contract, everything had to be arranged. I did not get much sleep, but I slept well." The switch from the calm of Roda's Kerkrade home to the frenzy of Amsterdam would be intimidating for many players, but not for Anastasiou. "I am used to that, because I experienced something similar at [RSC] Anderlecht," he said.

Anderlecht history
Anastasiou left the Belgian giants in 2000 after struggling to win a first-team place. While some have suggested that succeeding at Ajax would be the perfect way to prove a point to his old club, Anastasiou does not entertain such thoughts.

Second chance
"This is not revenge," he said. "Four years ago when I was at Anderlecht, I just had bad luck in having Tomasz Radzinski and Jan Koller ahead of me. Anderlecht let me go easily and I am grateful to them for that. Now I have another chance to prove myself at a top club. I am counting on having better luck at Ajax."

Great opportunity
Certainly, with his two main rivals for a place in the starting lineup injured, Anastasiou has a perfect opportunity to impress, but there is no room for complacency. "When the other strikers are fit to play again, Ioannis will be in competition with them," said Koeman.

Worthy effort
Ajax's 'Greek god' has plenty of work ahead, then, but a chance to shine with one of Europe's most prestigious clubs should make the effort worthwhile.