Official: Grygera to Juve (28 Viewers)
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Grygera's joy at Juve interest
Friday, 19 January 2007
Zdeněk Grygera's diary
After a few days off in the first week of January, we spent nine days on a training camp in South Africa. AFC Ajax have a partnership with Ajax Cape Town and we used the same hotel and facilities as the last time we visited in 2005, so it wasn't a trip into the unknown.
Southern summer
Cape Town is a really nice city and the weather was very good: it's summer at the moment and temperatures were very high. It wasn't so comfortable for our training sessions but it was a nice change compared to the rainy days of Europe. We recharged our batteries and practiced some on-pitch moves. Off the pitch, we went on two trips: the first was to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, and a few days later we went on safari. South Africa hosts the next FIFA World Cup and you can already see some signs of it. We saw some plans of what the new stadiums will look like. It's a huge event for the whole continent and they want to be ready.
Juve offer
I also have some other big news in my life: before our trip I heard that Juventus sent an official fax to Ajax with a formal offer for me. When we were in Cape Town, there was no communication between the teams because all the Ajax bosses were with us. They are in the process of talking again now and we will see what will happen. I know that Juventus want to sign me now but I can't do anything about it. It's between the clubs and I just have to wait. Obviously, I would be ready to go there this month. I've thought about this happening for a long time, ever since I decided not to extend my contract. If I move to Italy my dreams would come true.
Serie A chance
Juventus are still a top club. I follow their results and believe they will win promotion back to Serie A. I'm often in touch with Pavel Nedvěd, and he's also confident about their promotion chances. We spoke about Juventus and he told me he would be happy if I joined the club. My spell at Ajax may be close to an end but I have to say I have had some wonderful years here. We won a league title, played in the UEFA Champions League, and I have learnt a lot here. Ajax are a unique club, they play with their classic 4-3-3 style and always give opportunities to young players: as an example, there were another three or four players from the youth academy with us in South Africa.
Ajax development
During my years at Ajax, I became a more rounded defender. You cannot only defend and kick the ball away from your penalty area but you have to support the attack. This is typical for the Dutch league, which is why you sometimes get some crazy results. At Ajax it is not enough to win 1-0: you have to play attractive football. And when you play regularly in front of almost 50,000 fans at the ArenA, the pressure is high and you have a responsibility to perform. For me, Ajax are a big club and I know I made the right decision to join them back in 2002.
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.
Friday, 19 January 2007
Zdeněk Grygera's diary
After a few days off in the first week of January, we spent nine days on a training camp in South Africa. AFC Ajax have a partnership with Ajax Cape Town and we used the same hotel and facilities as the last time we visited in 2005, so it wasn't a trip into the unknown.
Southern summer
Cape Town is a really nice city and the weather was very good: it's summer at the moment and temperatures were very high. It wasn't so comfortable for our training sessions but it was a nice change compared to the rainy days of Europe. We recharged our batteries and practiced some on-pitch moves. Off the pitch, we went on two trips: the first was to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, and a few days later we went on safari. South Africa hosts the next FIFA World Cup and you can already see some signs of it. We saw some plans of what the new stadiums will look like. It's a huge event for the whole continent and they want to be ready.
Juve offer
I also have some other big news in my life: before our trip I heard that Juventus sent an official fax to Ajax with a formal offer for me. When we were in Cape Town, there was no communication between the teams because all the Ajax bosses were with us. They are in the process of talking again now and we will see what will happen. I know that Juventus want to sign me now but I can't do anything about it. It's between the clubs and I just have to wait. Obviously, I would be ready to go there this month. I've thought about this happening for a long time, ever since I decided not to extend my contract. If I move to Italy my dreams would come true.
Serie A chance
Juventus are still a top club. I follow their results and believe they will win promotion back to Serie A. I'm often in touch with Pavel Nedvěd, and he's also confident about their promotion chances. We spoke about Juventus and he told me he would be happy if I joined the club. My spell at Ajax may be close to an end but I have to say I have had some wonderful years here. We won a league title, played in the UEFA Champions League, and I have learnt a lot here. Ajax are a unique club, they play with their classic 4-3-3 style and always give opportunities to young players: as an example, there were another three or four players from the youth academy with us in South Africa.
Ajax development
During my years at Ajax, I became a more rounded defender. You cannot only defend and kick the ball away from your penalty area but you have to support the attack. This is typical for the Dutch league, which is why you sometimes get some crazy results. At Ajax it is not enough to win 1-0: you have to play attractive football. And when you play regularly in front of almost 50,000 fans at the ArenA, the pressure is high and you have a responsibility to perform. For me, Ajax are a big club and I know I made the right decision to join them back in 2002.
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.
Grygera begs for Juve rush Saturday 20 January, 2007
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Zdenek Grygera has already signed a contract with Juventus, but the Ajax man has asked to arrive immediately rather than in June.
“I know that Juve would like me in Turin from now and I am ready to leave at any moment, but this is an issue that regards Ajax,” said the defender whose deal with the Dutch side expires at the end of the season.
“All I can do is sit and wait for news to emerge. I am happy that my dream will come true, to reach Italy with a big club like the Bianconeri,” he told the 'Gazzetta dello Sport’.
Even the fact that he would be making his peninsula debut in Serie B does not frighten the Czech international.
“I think this team will quickly get back into Serie A. I often speak to my friend Pavel Nedved and he is confident in their promotion. I was also very pleased to hear that he recommended me to the club and paved the way for my arrival in Turin.”
Although he is eager to move on and try new things, Grygera is grateful to Ajax for aiding his career development.
“I won a League title here and had some wonderful years. When I chose Amsterdam in 2002, it was the right decision.
“At Ajax it’s not enough to just win 1-0, as at the Arena the fans demand entertainment. Thanks to this Dutch experience, I have become a more complete defender.”
Meanwhile, Juventus will celebrate an historic moment this afternoon against Bari, as Alessandro Del Piero is set to make his 500th official appearance in a Bianconeri jersey.
Channel 4
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Zdenek Grygera has already signed a contract with Juventus, but the Ajax man has asked to arrive immediately rather than in June.
“I know that Juve would like me in Turin from now and I am ready to leave at any moment, but this is an issue that regards Ajax,” said the defender whose deal with the Dutch side expires at the end of the season.
“All I can do is sit and wait for news to emerge. I am happy that my dream will come true, to reach Italy with a big club like the Bianconeri,” he told the 'Gazzetta dello Sport’.
Even the fact that he would be making his peninsula debut in Serie B does not frighten the Czech international.
“I think this team will quickly get back into Serie A. I often speak to my friend Pavel Nedved and he is confident in their promotion. I was also very pleased to hear that he recommended me to the club and paved the way for my arrival in Turin.”
Although he is eager to move on and try new things, Grygera is grateful to Ajax for aiding his career development.
“I won a League title here and had some wonderful years. When I chose Amsterdam in 2002, it was the right decision.
“At Ajax it’s not enough to just win 1-0, as at the Arena the fans demand entertainment. Thanks to this Dutch experience, I have become a more complete defender.”
Meanwhile, Juventus will celebrate an historic moment this afternoon against Bari, as Alessandro Del Piero is set to make his 500th official appearance in a Bianconeri jersey.
Channel 4
