ZUIVERLOON JOINS HEERENVEEN
Feyenoord have allowed Gianni Zuiverloon to join Eredivisie rivals Heerenveen.
The 19-year-old right-back has signed a three-year contract with Heerenveen after spending a season on loan at RKC Waalwijk.
"I am behind this transfer 100%," Zuiverloon told Feyenoord's official website.
"I have the chance to become one of the best right-backs of the Eredivisie and I certainly think that this is a step forward for me."
After returning from his loan spell, Feyenoord coach Erwin Koeman told Zuiverloon he wanted to loan him out again.
"But that was not what Gianni wanted," added director Chris Woerts.
"He told us he wanted to have certainty so when Heerenveen informed us they wanted to sign him we started talks with them.
"He can sign a contract for more than one year there and he will also play UEFA Cup football.
"Feyenoord did not want to hamper him in that choice."
Vonk just one piece of the Ajax jigsaw
The unveiling of Hans Vonk as Ajax Cape Town's goalkeeper for next season is an indication that the Cape club is finally in a position to realise its cherished ambitions.
That was the strident message delivered by Ajax chief executive John Comitis and his coach Gordon Igesund this week.
No longer big talk and empty promises, now is the time for them to deliver. And Comitis and Igesund have targeted next season as their breakthrough time.
Their optimism is based not only on the signing of 36-year-old former Bafana and Ajax Amsterdam keeper Vonk, but also on the club's other acquisitions - Malawian striker Russel Mwafulirwa and Congolese defender Montiguy Fofana - as well as the continuing maturity of the emerging young players in the squad.
"I'm excited about next season," said Igesund. "I can't wait. I can promise you we will be up there and challenging for the title."
For Comitis, the signing of Vonk is a major coup. And he's still hopeful of capturing Shaun Bartlett's signature in the coming weeks.
"Hans brings tremendous quality to the team," said Comitis, "and, having played for Ajax Amsterdam in Holland, he understands the Ajax philosophy of the game.
"He has played in Europe and for Bafana, and his quality and experience should rub off on the young players in the team."
Vonk has signed a four-year contract, with the first two years as a player and the last two seeing him move on to a role on the technical staff. He will also be responsible for liaising between the two Ajaxes - in Cape Town and Amsterdam.
Born in Alberton outside Johannesburg in 1970, Vonk left South Africa at an early age. His parents are Dutch and they had been working in SA at the time of his birth.
In the Netherlands, he started his club career VV Woudrichem before transferring to RKC Waalwijk. But it was at another Dutch club, Heerenveen, that he was to make swift progress and rise to prominence. And it was while he was at Heerenveen that his South African connections came to light.
And when Frenchman Philippe Troussier became Bafana coach before the 1998 World Cup, Vonk was called up to the squad.
Vonk's Bafana tenure has not been without controversy as his soft-spoken yet strong personality has not endeared him to some coaches - but he is, without doubt, the best goalkeeper SA have had since the return to the international fold.
But, with Vonk on board, what happens to Ajax's other goalkeeper, Moeneeb Josephs?
Comitis explained: "Moeneeb still has one year on his contract with Ajax, but he is eager to play overseas. We have promised to explore his options, and we have offers for trials for him in Portugal, Bulgaria and Holland."
In addition, Comitis also announced that three of the club's emerging stars - Stanton Lewis, Granwald Scott and Corburn Woodington - would be jetting off for trials at Ajax Amsterdam.
Lewis and Scott - both 18 years of age - will be going for their second time, while for Woodington, 19, it's a first trip to the Dutch club.
"Ajax Amsterdam have requested to have another look at Lewis and Scott," said Comitis. "There are no guarantees... remember that Steven Pienaar went over three times before they decided to sign him."
VICELICH JOINS RKC
New Zealand midfielder Ivan Vicelich has made the switch from Roda JC to RKC Waalwijk .
The 29-year-old had already told Roda he did not want to extend his stay in Kerkrade beyond the current season, ending a five-and-a-half year connection with the club.
Vicelich has signed a two-year contract at RKC, with the option of another year.
Boskamp set to take Arnhem post
The 57-year-old walked away from the Britannia Stadium at the weekend and now looks set to replace current Vitesse boss Edward Sturing, who is stepping down after a 19-year association with the Arnhem outfit.
"I will work for the first time in Holland and that is one of the main reasons to choose to go to Vitesse," he told AD Sportwereld.
"I also think that Vitesse has more to offer than any other club sporting-wise.
"With a few extra players, Vitesse can climb up the Eredivisie ladder and play always for European places."
However, Vitesse director Paul van der Kraan believes Boskamp's comments are premature, saying: "There are a few important things that we have to talk about. So don't expect any announcements from me yet. What Boskamp says is all for his own account."
BIG BEN TO PLAY FOR FEYENOORD
Belgian striker Benjamin de Ceulaer is to get a chance to prove himself at Feyenoord.
De Ceulaer has spent this season on loan at RKC Waalwijk, but will be in the Feyenoord first-team squad next season.
He has missed the end of the campaign with a broken bone in his leg, but his performances prior to that - including seven goals - have convinced the Rotterdammers he is worth his place.
De Ceulaer joined Feyenoord last summer from Sint-Truiden.
He will compete with Romeo Castelen for a place on the right-side of the attack next season.
2006 UEFA CUP Tournament
The UEFA Cup is handed over to the Dutch city of Eindhoven, and in preparation for hosting this season's final, golden memories of 1978 will come flooding back.
It was on 9 May 1978 that local side PSV Eindhoven established themselves as a major force in European football as they beat SC Bastia 3-0 at the Philips stadium - the venue for this season's final - to win the UEFA Cup, following a goalless draw in the first leg in Corsica two weeks earlier.
By that time, PSV had already broken the cast-iron grip that the big clubs from the west of the Netherlands - Feyenoord and AFC Ajax - held on the Dutch title by winning the Eredivisie in 1974/75 and 1975/76, but in taking the UEFA Cup, they announced their presence to the whole continent.
With the final being contested over two legs in those days, PSV had not enjoyed an easy time in the opening fixture against Bastia. Heavy rainfall turned the first leg into a boring show. But the second leg, however, was much more one-sided, and with the elements no longer blocking their route to goal, PSV shone with Willy van de Kerkhof, Gerrie Deijkers and Willy van der Kuylen finding the target as they secured a famous victory in front of 27,000 fans.
With Feyenoord and Ajax both having won major European competitions in the early 1970s, PSV were the third Dutch club to triumph in UEFA competition, and added to their trophy cabinet by winning the European Champion Clubs' Cup in 1987/88 before reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2004/05.
The memories of that first success back in 1978 will be celebrated as 2004/05 UEFA Cup, against all the Sportsbooks odds. Winners of last year’s cup PFC CSKA Moskva hand the trophy to Eindhoven, with goal scorers Van de Kerkhof and Van der Kuylen in attendance. Sadly Deijkers died of heart failure at the age of 56 back in October 2003.
Deijkers' story was an odd one. He had played as a defender in previous seasons but coach Kees Rijvers - who will also be at the handover - decided to hand him a chance to become a striker as PSV were having attacking problems in 1977/78. He went on to score 18 league goals and six in the UEFA Cup that season.
While Deijkers will be missed at the ceremony at the Evoluon building in Eindhoven, plenty of other PSV stars of 1978 will be there to make up the numbers. Among them will be Willy's twin brother René van de Kerkhof, Jan Poortvliet, Adri van Kraay and Kees Krijgh all eager to get their hands on the trophy again
RKC ENDING ON A LOW
Five consecutive defeats mean the season is coming to a disappointing end for RKC Waalwijk.
And with nothing left to play for, it is hard to see that run ending against an Ajax team looking to make certain of a place in the Champions League play-offs.
RKC coach Adrie Koster feels they were unlucky not to claim at least a point against Sparta Rotterdam on Wednesday.
"We should not have lost because we were the better team, but questionable decisions from the referee went against us," he said. "I saw fighting spirit again and we played very good football."
After losing Rick Hoogendorp to German side Wolfsburg, RKC have found goals hard to come by, a situation worsened by injuries to Benjamin de Ceulaer and Maarten Martens.
But Koster was encouraged by his team's midweek performance.
"Against Ajax we will continue this improvement and we will go for three points," he said.
By contrast, Ajax will feel they can't lose after snatching victory from the jaws of defeat on Wednesday with two last-minute goals against Vitesse Arnhem.
The fourth-placed Amsterdammers are keen to hold off the challenges of FC Utrecht and FC Groningen, with a point enough to be earn them a play-off place, but whatever happens it is unlikely to be enough to save coach Danny Blind.
Although defender Hedwiges Maduro released a statement in midweek to say the coach had the full support of the players, a silence from the board is surely ominous news for Blind after a disappointing Eredivisie campaign.
"When we face RKC, we will play for victory," said Blind.
"One point is enough, but it's not useful to keep calculating because everything is possible on the final day of matches."
Ajax will miss Wesley Sneijder and Zdenek Grygera, while Hatem Trabelsi is doubtful.
De Ceulaer and Martens are part of a sev
