Uefa.com Friday, 29 August 2003 By Pete Sanderson If ever a player embodied the new generation of AFC Ajax stars it was Andy van der Meyde. World-class winger Groomed at the Ajax academy and making his league debut aged 18 in 1997, Van der Meyde was transformed from a skinny, fledgling midfield player into a world-class Dutch international winger. Unenviable task When Ronald Koeman took over as Ajax coach in 2001 he was set the unenviable task of reviving the fortunes of a club once for famed for unfurling talents such as Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten and Dennis Bergkamp on almost an annual basis - and in the youngster from Arnhem, Koeman knew he had his man. Midfield prodigy He also acknowledged that Ajax's latest midfield prodigy, who became a regular in 2000 after a year's loan at FC Twente, would be snapped up as soon as he was unleashed in the shop window that is the UEFA Champions League, especially as they reached the quarter-finals, the vital second group stage goal at AS Roma scored by Van der Meyde. Inter purchase It was Internazionale FC - who beat Ajax twice in last season's Champions League first group stage as both teams progressed - who stole in to buy the 23-year-old for an undisclosed but significant fee. Koeman encouragement But Koeman let Van der Meyde leave with his blessing. "With his talent it was bound to happen," shrugged the Ajax coach. "I wanted to tell him it was the wrong move - but I would have been lying - and who am I to stop someone fulfilling their ambition? After all I did exactly the same when I went to [FC] Barcelona." 'A lot to learn' That contrast between that farewell and the welcome he received from Inter coach Hector Cuper could hardly have been starker. "He still has a lot to learn about the way we play football in Italy," he said. "He is not making the right runs or delivering the right passes. It is a totally different ball game to the one he was used to in the Netherlands." Initial impressions uefa.com caught up with Van der Meyde when he returned to his former Ajax stomping ground for the pre-season Amsterdam Tournament to gauge his initial impressions of life in Italy. uefa.com: How big of a challenge is moving to Inter? Andy van der Meyde: At Ajax the fans worshipped me, cheered my every pass and basically made me feel like I was part of a big happy family. Joining Inter has been a totally different experience. I am having to start all over again. I have to win the fans over again and most importantly I have to please my new manager." uefa.com: Why did you choose to play in Italy? Van der Meyde: I would love to be a success in Italy - I knew it was going to be a tough challenge when I left Ajax but I am ambitious and I want to follow the likes of Ruud Gullit, Koeman and Marco Van Basten by proving I can be a success abroad. uefa.com: Has it been hard to adapt to playing in Italy? Van der Meyde: I have found the pre-season hard, learning a new language, adapting to a different culture and playing under a manager who has asked me to perform a role which I am unfamiliar with. But Internazionale are a huge club with great fans and it is like a dream for me to imagine that I will soon be walking out at the San Siro stadium to play in the Milan derby. -- 有心 沒心 心在芬蘭 多情 薄情 情繫 Ajax --

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