Cape Town Spurs F.C.

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Ajax Cape Town
File:Ajax Cape Town.svg
Full nameAjax Cape Town Football Club
Nickname(s)Urban Warriors
Founded1999, merger of Seven Stars
and Cape Town Spurs
GroundCape Town Stadium, Cape Town
Capacity55,000
ChairmanAri Efstathiou
ManagerStanley Menzo
LeagueABSA Premiership
2015–16ABSA Premiership, 10th

Ajax Cape Town (Afrikaans: Ajax Kaapstad,[1] pronounced [ˈɑːjaks ˈkɑːpstat]) is a South African football club based in the Parow suburb of the city of Cape Town that plays in the Premier Soccer League. Dutch Eredivisie club AFC Ajax is the parent club and acts as the majority shareholder.[2]

History

Ajax Cape Town was formed in 1999 via the amalgamation of two Cape Town-based teams, Seven Stars and Cape Town Spurs, as AFC Ajax expanded their worldwide talent-feeder network to South Africa.

Ajax, nicknamed Urban Warriors, played their first official game against Kaizer Chiefs in the Iwisa Charity Spectacular on 17 July 1999. Ajax caused an upset when they beat Chiefs 1–0 with Sam Pam, the Ajax Cape Town captain, scoring the winning goal.

Former South Africa national team coach Gordon Igesund, the country's most successful club coach,[3] who won league titles with Manning Rangers, Orlando Pirates, Santos and Sundowns, coached the club from 2002 until 2006.

Since coming into existence, Ajax has never won the league title with their highest finish being runners-up in 2003–04, 2007–08 and 2010–11. Ajax managed to win the Rothmans Cup in 2000, the Nedbank Cup in 2007, the Telkom Knockout in 2008 and most recently the MTN8 in 2015.

In January 2007 Ajax CT managed to beat AFC Ajax 3–1 in a friendly game held in Cape Town. The next friendly, played in Amsterdam, ended in a 3–2 win for AFC Ajax in July 2009.

Over the years several Ajax CT players have made the step to the mother club, among them Steven Pienaar in 2002, Daylon Claasen in 2009, Eyong Enoh in 2008 and Thulani Serero in 2011.

In July 2013, it was announced that the Comitis brothers, longtime partners and shareholders with the Efstathiou brothers, had sold their shares to the Efstathiou family.[4] Ari Efstathiou was announced as the new chairman, and Muhsin Ertuğral was reinstated as manager of the club, following an interim managerial period after originally being hired as the clubs new technical director.[5]

In September 2015, Ajax won the 2015 MTN8 tournament edging Kaizer Chiefs 1–0 in the final.

Youth program

Since the inception of the club, Ajax Cape Town have imported the AFC Ajax philosophy and effective youth development schemes in the Western Cape. The majority of the senior squad players have come up from the club's own youth ranks, such as the likes of Nazeer Allie, Granwald Scott and Thulani Hlatshwayo, while others such as Steven Pienaar and Thulani Serero have moved on to some of the top clubs in Europe.

With the introduction of the Ajax Cape Town Community Scheme in conjunction with the South African Police Services, Ajax CT also provides football opportunities to young people within the greater Cape Town area regardless of race, gender, social status or disability, facilitated through structured programs in a safe and fun learning environment.

Since then the Ajax Cape Town Community Scheme has been implemented in more than 120 schools across the Western Cape as far as the Cape Winelands, reaching more than 8,000 children.[6]

Stadium

In the beginning Ajax CT played their home games at Athlone Stadium and Newlands Stadium. The latter is a 51,900 capacity venue, which was first built in 1888, and was also host to the 1995 Rugby World Cup opening match. Essentially being a rugby stadium, it was a home they shared with clubs Santos and Vasco da Gama, as well as rugby teams Stormers and Western Province. Athlone Stadium was home to the Santos and has a capacity of 30,000. The stadium located in Athlone, Cape Town was also host to some of Ajax CT early home matches as well.

Moving to the Green Point Stadium, an 18,000 seat multi-purpose stadium in the Green Point area of Cape Town. The stadium was eventually demolished in 2007 to make way for the new Cape Town Stadium for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Construction of the new stadium was completed in 2009, and the Urban Warriors have played their home games at the Cape Town Stadium since the beginning of the 2010–11 Premier Soccer League season to an improved capacity of 55,000. On 3 August 2011 a contract extension of three years was negotiated with the stadium, which will see Ajax CT playing their home games there until 2014.[7][8]

The first match played at the new stadium was a Cape Town derby between Ajax CT and Santos on 23 January 2010 as part of the official inauguration of the stadium.

Ajax Cape Town also has a modern training facility called Ikamva located in Parow, Cape Town (33°53′45.5″S 18°34′41.5″E / 33.895972°S 18.578194°E / -33.895972; 18.578194). It serves as the training grounds for the senior squad, as well as for the Ajax Cape Town Youth Development Academy. It has hosted a number of foreign clubs among them German Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart during their midseason camp in 2014 as well as Viking FK from Norway.[9]

Shirt sponsor & kit manufacturer

Honours

Cup competitions

Winners: 2015
Winners: 2000, 2008
Winners: 2007

Preseason

Winners: 2007, 2008

Performance in CAF competitions

Continental appearances

2005 – Final Group Round
2009 – First Round
2008 – First Round of 16

Continental results

Season Competition Round Country Club Score CCP (1)
2005 Champions League Preliminary Round  Swaziland Mhlambanyatsi Rovers 1–0, 1–1 2.0
First Round  Burkina Faso ASFA Yennenga 1–0, 0–1
Second Round  Guinea Fello Star 2–0, 0–2
Final Group Round  Nigeria Enyimba 1–1, 2–0
 Morocco Raja Casablanca 1–1, 0–3
 Egypt Al Ahly 2–0, 0–0
2008 Confederation Cup First Round  Seychelles Anse Réunion 1–0, 4–1 1.0
First Round of 16  Cameroon Mount Cameroon 5–1, 0–5
2009 Champions League First Round  Zimbabwe Monomotapa United 3–2, 1–2 0.3
(1) CCP = CAF Co-efficiency points. Total amount of points for CAF Coefficient: 17.0

Club records

Premier Soccer League record

3

First team squad

As of 29 June 2017

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK South Africa RSA Brandon Peterson
2 DF South Africa RSA Abel Mabaso
3 DF South Africa RSA Rivaldo Coetzee
4 DF Zimbabwe ZIM Erick Chipeta
5 DF South Africa RSA Mosa Lebusa
6 MF South Africa RSA Travis Graham (Captain)
8 MF South Africa RSA Ndiviwe Mdabuka
9 FW Zimbabwe ZIM Thomas Chideu
10 MF South Africa RSA Toriq Losper
11 MF South Africa RSA Bantu Mzwakali
12 MF South Africa RSA Masilake Phohlongo
13 MF South Africa RSA Grant Margeman
14 FW South Africa RSA Tashreeq Morris
15 FW South Africa RSA Prince Nxumalo
16 GK South Africa RSA Darren Johnson
17 FW South Africa RSA Neo Makua
18 MF South Africa RSA Lebohang Mokoena
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 FW South Africa RSA Erwin Isaacs
22 MF South Africa RSA Mark Mayambela
23 MF South Africa RSA Thabo Mosadi
24 DF South Africa RSA Shane Saralina
25 DF South Africa RSA Sirgio Kammies
26 DF Ghana GHA Lawrence Lartey
27 DF South Africa RSA Roscoe Pietersen
30 GK South Africa RSA Jody February
31 MF South Africa RSA Luthando Mateza
32 DF South Africa RSA Yagan Sasman
34 DF South Africa RSA Rheece Evans
35 MF Zambia ZAM Rodrick Kabwe
35 FW South Africa RSA Mogamat May
36 MF Zambia ZAM Aubrey Funga
37 FW South Africa RSA Sameehg Doutie
— DF South Africa RSA Isaac Nhlapo

Foreigners

In the South African PSL, only five non-South African nationals can be registered. Foreign players who have acquired permanent residency can be registered as locals.

On loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
23 MF South Africa RSA Olwethu Nguye (At Cape Town All Stars until 30 June 2017)
28 MF South Africa RSA Justin Jacobus (At Cape Town All Stars until 30 June 2017)

Retired numbers

Club officials/Technical team

  • Chief Executive Officer: Greece Ari Efstathiou
  • Chief Commercial Officer:Greece Alexi Efstathiou
  • General Manager of Football: Germany Maximilian Grünewald
  • Head coach: Netherlands Stanley Menzo
  • Assistant coach: South Africa Mich d'Avray
  • Goalkeeper coach: South Africa Andre Petim
  • Multichoice Diski Challenge team coach: Serbia Vladislav Heric
  • ABC Motsepe team coach: Serbia Vladislav Heric
  • Head of scouting: South Africa Sergio Dos Santos

Notable former players

Main article: List of Ajax Cape Town players
For a list of all Ajax Cape Town players with a Wikipedia article, see Category:Ajax Cape Town F.C. players.

List of Ajax Cape Town managers

References

  1. ^ Ajax kom nou tuis by Kaapstad-stadion Nuus24, geraadpleegd 28 augustus 2011
  2. ^ http://www.kickoff.com/news/35388/comitis-brothers-sell-shares-in-ajax-cape-town-after-feud-with-efstathiou-family
  3. ^ Soccer in South Africa Archived 17 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Comitis-familie stapt uit Ajax CT". Ajax Showtime. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  5. ^ "Efstathiou: Ertugral Stays, Comitis goes". Kick Off Magazine. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  6. ^ "Ajax Cape Town Club History". ajaxct.com. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  7. ^ "Chiefs to use Rand Stadium this season". KickOff Magazine. 30 June 2010. Archived from the original on 9 August 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "Ajax CT to use Cape Town Stadium as Home Ground". Goal.com. 3 August 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  9. ^ "Norwegian Giants At Ikamva". Soccerladuma.co.za. 27 January 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  10. ^ http://www.ajaxct.co.za/jersey-no-21-belongs-to-lolo/
  11. ^ "Blank Ajax Cape Town vaart tegen stroom in". Trouw. 2 October 1999. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  12. ^ "Bodewes takes the helm at Ajax Cape Town". IOL News. 5 May 2000. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  13. ^ "Ajax, Pirates ponder problems ahead of replay". IOL News. 12 December 2000. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  14. ^ "Just be consistent, McDonald tells Ajax". IOL News. 5 May 2001. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  15. ^ "Ajax system to become 'Igesund way'". IOL News. 13 August 2002. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  16. ^ "Ajax Cape Town appoint Igesund replacement". Mail & Guardian. 13 June 2006. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  17. ^ "South Africa: Rosslee Set to Continue Youth Policy at Ajax". All Africa. 27 June 2007. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  18. ^ "Ertuğral Confirmed As New Ajax Cape Town Coach". Goal.com. 18 May 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  19. ^ "Jan Pruijn In Charge Of Ajax Cape Town For Now". Goal.com. 17 October 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  20. ^ "Introducing the New Coach for Ajax Cape Town". Cape Town Magazine. 17 October 2009. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ "Maarten Stekelenburg coach Ajax Cape Town". AD.nl. 21 June 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  22. ^ "Ajax CT wins under interim coaches". Ajax.nl. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  23. ^ "Pruijn wants to take over as head coach of Ajax Cape Town". Goal.com. 23 October 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  24. ^ "Ertuğral steps into the Ajax Cape Town hot seat as Versleijen resigns". Goal.com. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  25. ^ "Ajax Cape Town coach Muhsin Ertuğral: The team is stable". Goal.com. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  26. ^ "Taylor to take over from Ertuğral". Africanfootball.com. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  27. ^ "Roger De Sá unveiled as Ajax Cape Town coach". Goal.com. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cape_Town_Spurs_F.C.&oldid=788110013"