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Rookies Seedorf and Sneijder added to Ajax-1 squad

07 January: The Ajax squad to go back in training on Wednesday January 08 will contain two new faces, as coach Ronald Koeman officially added Young Ajax midfielders Stefano Seedorf and Wesley Sneijder to the Ajax-1 roster. They will train with the first team from now on and will also join the team on its trip to Portugal, commencing on the 15th.

Stefano Seedorf (born in Zaandam, 28 April 1982) and Wesley Sneijder (born in Utrecht, 09 June 1984) are not entirely new in the first team. Seedorf, cousin of former Ajacied Clarence, made his official Ajax-1 debut in the Eredivisie away game at Vitesse, on 31 March 2002. He also played several games with the first team in pre-season and made an excellent impression, but returned to Young Ajax once the season started.

Wesley Sneijder is still young enough to play for the A1 youth team and only just joined Young Ajax this season. However, due to the numerous injuries Ajax-1 had to deal with in the last weeks of the first season's half, he was added to the Ajax-1 squad for the Eredivisie away game at Excelsior, during which he remained on the bench.

For Stefano Seedorf, the step to Ajax-1 seems a logical one. He was one of the key players in Young Ajax's tremendously succesful 2001-2002 season, in which the Dutch championship for reserves teams was won and the semi-final of the 'big' Amstel Cup was reached. This season, he played 11 games for Young Ajax, in which he scored 6 goals.

For Sneijder, however, the jump to Ajax-1 is spectacular. He was voted Best Player of the National A-Youth Eredivisie last season and was added to the Young Ajax team one year earlier than planned. He scored 5 goals in his 13 games for Young Ajax so far and is generally regarded as one of the biggest talents in Dutch youth football.

After the first training in the new year, on Wednesday, Seedorf and Sneijder will play their first friendly game as official members of Ajax-1 on Saturday, 11 January, against Dutch amateur side De Zuidvogels. Their official Ajax-1 jersey number are as yet unknown. (MP)

(Source: Ajax.nl)