http://www.uefa.com/magazine/news/Kind=2/newsId=131340.html Friday, 05 December 2003 By Chris Murphy In just three short years, forward Rafael van der Vaart has emerged as one of European football's most sought-after talents. Youth product After seeing him through the tried and trusted AFC Ajax youth system, coach Co Adriaanse wasted little time in handing the then 17-year-old his first-team debut in the 1-1 draw at FC Den Bosch in April 2000. It provided the Heemskerk-born player with his first taste of senior action, and the following season, under new coach Ronald Koeman, his development gathered momentum. Talent blossoms Van der Vaart scored 14 goals - a superb return considering he suffered a bad knee injury in February which saw him miss the end of that campaign - as Ajax won an Eredivisie and Dutch Cup double, and in October 2001 he made his full international debut for the Netherlands. Such was his impact then, and in the following term as he helped Ajax into the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, that this season he was appointed club vice-captain. Committed to Ajax However, like Ajax's brightest talents in the past, from Johan Cruyff through Marco van Basten to Andy van der Meyde, the 20-year-old Van der Vaart has been constantly linked with a move away from the Netherlands. Still, he is committed to Ajax for this season, as club general director Arie van Eijden insisted, with the team very much in the running for domestic and European honours. Not going anywhere Asked if the player would leave, Van Eijden recently stated: "Not before next summer he won't. Ajax and Van der Vaart have made clear arrangements. Van der Vaart got a better contract at the last winter break and Ajax got the guarantee that the player would stay at least until the end of the season." Successful campaign Certainly, it could be another successful campaign for Van der Vaart and his team-mates. The club sit atop the Eredivisie table with the winter break looming and will progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League with victory at Club Brugge KV on Matchday 6. Even a draw would take them through, unless RC Celta de Vigo win at Group H winners AC Milan - whose last-minute goal denied Ajax in a thrilling quarter-final last season. Dutch regular At international level too, the one-time 18-year-old debutant has gone from strength to strength. Alongside the likes of former club-mate Van der Meyde, Wesley Sneijer - another Ajax prospect - and PSV Eindhoven's Arjen Robben, Van der Vaart has already established himself as an important part of coach Dick Advocaat's plans. This, despite competition from more experienced stars like Phillip Cocu, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Mark van Bommel. Energetic display He featured in five of the Netherlands' UEFA EURO 2004 qualifying group matches, as well as both legs of the play-off against Scotland, where he was arguably the Dutch side's best player in the first leg, which ended in a 1-0 defeat. His industrious and energetic display in the home return contributed to Ruud van Nistelrooij's hat-trick and the 6-0 scoreline, which reminded any who doubted - especially finals opponents Czech Republic, Latvia and Germany - that the Dutch are still a force to be reckoned with. Perfect farewell? If Van der Vaart is to leave Ajax, the perfect farewell would be with a silver-laden treble of Eredivisie, Champions League and UEFA European Championship glory. -- 有心 沒心 心在芬蘭 多情 薄情 情繫 Ajax --

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