The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 229: Finding Future Stars

Two years have passed, and the Ajax, which once dominated Europe in 1995, has changed beyond recognition. The core of that team, which swept through Europe, is largely gone. This summer, Patrick Kluivert confirmed he would not renew his contract, the fate of the flying winger Overmars is uncertain, Bogarde has found love with AC Milan, and most crucially, the distinguished coach Louis van Gaal seems to have his sights set elsewhere, with his flirtation with Barcelona no longer a secret.

In the past twenty years, Ajax has sent nearly 50 players to the top five European leagues, most of whom are big-name stars. To top clubs in Europe, Ajax is not just a giant in Dutch football, but also a boutique for football talent.

Over the last decade, Ajax has earned over $100 million from transfer dealings—a figure that other clubs today can hardly fathom.

Along with Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven, these three Dutch giants have supported Dutch football, where their youth training programs are extraordinarily strong.

Just as Real Madrid and Barcelona have contributed to La Liga, most people understand that Barcelona's La Masia is synonymous with youth training. While Real Madrid might not be renowned for its youth system, it has made significant contributions to Spanish football. Many players who didn't make it to the first team have moved to other clubs, and including lower divisions, the club sends about ten professional players to clubs across two tiers each season. Over time, this accumulates to a substantial number of La Liga players emerging from Real Madrid's youth academy.

Each of these clubs has its own youth training style. Ajax is known for its inability to retain talent, guided by a business philosophy shaped by its Jewish heritage, prioritizing player sales for profit. The limitations of the Dutch league's influence and stature mean they can't afford to keep players—if they don't sell, they can't hold on!

Even though Barcelona has begun to continually recruit Dutch players this summer, in the long run, it remains clear that even with Van Gaal taking charge, he promoted future team cornerstone players like Xavi from the youth academy. The seamless tactical alignment between the youth team and the first team allows for a continuous flow of talent, ensuring that the first team can consistently draw from the youth ranks.

Real Madrid, on the other hand, operates on a survival-of-the-fittest basis. With a "noble" club background, there's little patience for young players, and opportunities are scarce. Unless the player is a remarkable talent like Raúl or Casillas, the club won't wait for others to mature. However, sending players to other clubs reinforces Real Madrid's influence and stature.

Aldrich believes that Millwall must adapt the strengths of these three clubs' youth training systems to become stronger, copying Barcelona's tactical consistency from youth to senior teams while learning Ajax's methods for scouting talent, all while fostering a competitive environment akin to Real Madrid's in the youth squad.

When a genius trains alongside a hundred average players, chances are that by the end, the genius will end up being assimilated by the average.

But if fifty geniuses are training alongside fifty average players, the outcome is completely different. The competition amongst the geniuses drives the average players to raise their game, accelerating their growth and igniting their potential.

This summer, Aldrich aimed not only to bolster the first team but also to introduce more promising young stars into the youth squad, wanting to stimulate their faster development.

He had noticed a troubling trend.

Joe Cole, Ronaldinho, Ashley Cole, and Villa were last season's standout prospects in Millwall's youth team. Two years ago, when they were just 14 or 15, their performances in the youth setup were exceptional. But as they matured, the gap between them and their peers widened, leading to a clear divide.

This division meant they withdrew from the larger group and formed a smaller clique—not out of collusion, but due to their evident superior skills on the pitch. Their teammates simply couldn't keep up with their pace, vision, or responsiveness.

They couldn't afford to slow down their game for teammates who lagged behind, leaving them with two choices: Ronaldinho and Joe Cole, along with Villa, became very selfish when playing together; if there was no room for coordination, they often chose to take shots on goal rather than passing to teammates whose skills fell short.

So, Nagy approached Aldrich with a suggestion: either loan these four players out for development or promote them to the first team to train together and play in reserve matches.

The youth team environment wasn't suitable for their growth any longer.

Aldrich's solution was to find them some suitable teammates.

However, today in the Netherlands, he didn't plan on scouting players under the age of 16 from Ajax, even though Ajax's youth academy is teeming with future stars, like Van der Vaart.

He was here to scout Ajax's next wing wizard: Andy van der Meyde.

With Andrew's arrangements, Aldrich met soon-to-be 18-year-old Andy van der Meyde in a modest hotel in Amsterdam.

There were no language barriers; nearly everyone in Holland speaks English effortlessly.

Van der Meyde was well-dressed and had even coiffed his hair, looking a bit tense upon meeting Aldrich. Aldrich could see his excitement, which intrigued him.

Previously, when bringing in players, regardless of their age or fame, they either displayed skepticism or appeared indifferent during their first meeting, dismissing this young manager from London.

Having propelled Millwall to new heights over the last three years, Aldrich now enjoys the prestige of being a celebrated coach. This makes his personal recruitment efforts appear even more heartfelt and genuine.

"Hi, Andy, can I call you that? Great, let's sit down and talk."

Aldrich invitingly gestured for van der Meyde to take a seat on the couch and straightforwardly began outlining a vision for him.

Joining Millwall will see you as part of the first team next season, starting from the bench to blend into the squad. Within a season or two, if things go well, he should be able to challenge for a starting position by the time he turns 20.

As for the specifics of his development, Aldrich kept it brief, willing to elaborate if asked.

Van der Meyde suppressed his excitement and cooled his enthusiasm significantly.

When he heard that the young manager wanted to meet him, he initially believed he was being valued enough to step onto the pitch as a starter at Millwall.

Now he realized that was far from the case.

At least, however, his potential was acknowledged, which brought him some joy once he calmed down.

Thinking of his treatment at Ajax, van der Meyde asked, "Can we discuss my contract?"

Aldrich smiled, knowing the response was positive, and turned to Andrew, saying, "Why don't you have a chat with him?"

As Andrew acted as his agent and had previously handled several transfers, including Stam, Larsson, and Van Nistelrooy, he had a certain reputation within the Dutch football circle for playing a critical role in successful deals and securing favorable contracts for players. Plus, being Aldrich's brother, young players eager to make a name for themselves at Millwall would naturally be familiar with him.

Van der Meyde was set to sign his first professional contract with Ajax this summer. However, with Ajax currently facing internal and external turmoil—players from the famed 1995 squad being poached year after year, and amidst coaching chaos with Van Gaal's imminent departure—the club couldn't readily address young talents like van der Meyde.

While work permit issues make it difficult for English clubs to recruit non-European players, they gain an indirect advantage by offering professional contracts to players as young as 16 years old. In Spain, Germany and other top leagues, players must be 18 years old before they can sign a professional deal. This loophole allows English clubs to discover young talent earlier. However, many clubs have yet to realize the need to act quickly in their recruitment efforts. It's important to not only sign the player, but also consider making arrangements with the entire family.

At this point, van der Meyde didn't have an agent, so Andrew could likely secure him easily with a promise of a ￡3,000 weekly contract.

That seemed unbelievable to van der Meyde.

Why can't the Dutch league hold onto its talents?

Aside from the league's influence, the most significant reason is the club's financial constraints. The wages offered to players are not even comparable to those of mid-table Premier League teams, let alone top clubs. The club primarily makes money through player sales and European competitions. If it weren't for these revenue sources, the three major clubs in the Netherlands would have gone bankrupt long ago. Therefore, the salaries for players are limited. For a player like Van der Meyde, coming from the youth team, a weekly wage of a few hundred pounds is already considered high. Even looking a decade ahead, it's likely that salaries will only reach a few thousand pounds.

With a weekly salary of ￡3,000, this undoubtedly ranks as the lowest pay within Millwall's first-team squad. In contrast, Ronaldinho, when he signed at 16, had a weekly wage of ￡5,000. This can be justified, as Aldrich views him as a pivotal future player for the team, making the higher salary understandable.

After reaching an agreement with van der Meyde, Aldrich bid farewell and asked Andrew to call his assistant to ensure someone accompanied van der Meyde out of Ajax.

His contract with Ajax was an apprenticeship agreement, expiring this summer. Ajax had initially planned to turn it into a professional contract, but as long as van der Meyde declined, he could become a free player and leave.

Just before the new FIFA transfer regulations come into effect this autumn, Millwall could bring a player of van der Meyde's talent without spending a penny.

After sealing the deal, Aldrich and Andrew spent the night at the hotel, and the next morning, they left with travel bags and sunglasses.

"Where to next?"

Andrew asked casually, looking up at the sky to gauge the weather.

Aldrich opened the taxi door and turned back, "Eindhoven."