In this 'Tales of Teams Past,' we delve into Branco van den Boomen's memories of the third edition of the Future Cup. The tournament gave Van den Boomen a sense of professionalism for the first time. "Mainly because of the TV broadcasts, but also the full stands. I think it's very educational for young players to compete in this tournament with all the surrounding elements."
Van den Boomen looks nostalgically at an old photo showing the award ceremony. "It was the first time we appeared on TV and stayed in a hotel; I remember that very well. I realised that the matches were broadcast live, and I knew that friends would be watching."
"We might have been a bit lucky to win the tournament in the end. I was so tired before the final and wondered how we would do it. At that time, we had a team that wanted to fight for each other. That year, we won a lot in the championship, Future Cup, and we even went to Ukraine for a tournament where we finished second. It was a wonderful season," he says enthusiastically.
Team
When asked about the strong individuals from the team back then, Branco mentions names like Ricardo Kishna, Kenny Tete, Sheraldo Becker, Queensy Menig, and Elton Acolatse. He explains that it wasn't a team full of extraordinary talents but rather a group with a lot of potential.
"It was a shame that Kishna couldn't participate in the Future Cup due to an injury. He was a great talent and even made it to the first team. Unfortunately, he also suffered a lot from injuries afterwards. Most of the boys from that team may not have made it to Ajax 1, but they did transition to a career in professional football."
The midfielder also reflects on his own performances. "In the year of the Future Cup, I think I was an important player for the team. Later, I suffered a lot from growing pains and couldn't make it to the first team. Nevertheless, that year was good for me."
Orlando Trustfull coached the team that won the Future Cup in 2012. Even now, Van den Boomen speaks highly of his old mentor. "A top coach. When people ask me who I remember most from Ajax’s youth, I always mention him. Orlando meant a lot to me personally and to my game. He immediately sent me a message when I returned to Ajax last summer. I've always kept in touch with him. Besides being a good coach, he was also a very nice person to work with."
Strong opponents
Van den Boomen scored twice in the 2012 edition of the Future Cup. His first goal was in the group stage against Besiktas. Ajax U17, or as it was called then, the B1, won 4-0. The Ajax midfielder now describes his goal as 'a strange goal.' "I passed the goalkeeper and then dribbled the ball into the goal." Later, the Ajax player scored another remarkable goal in the final against Manchester United, with his high ball over the goalkeeper into the goal.
In addition to Besiktas, powerhouses like AC Milan, Bayern Munich, FC Barcelona, and Manchester United also participated in 2012. Ajax faced the Spanish and English top clubs in the tournament. "Barcelona was also good. Adama Traoré played in that team. We had played against them in other tournaments before. It was always evenly matched. It ended 0-0 and then penalties. That was the match where Stan Bijl first saved a penalty and then decided to take the decisive penalty himself."
"The best player in the tournament was the number ten from Manchester United (Mats Møller Dæhli, red.). I tried to look him up, but in the end, I don't know if he really made it. He was actually the only one I thought would become a top player. At Barcelona, there was also a good player. I don't know his name, but he's a striker, and I saw him in La Liga."
Future
In one of the previous editions of 'Tales of Teams Past', we spoke to Van den Boomen's teammate, Bijl. The goalkeeper, now a youth coach at Ajax, mentioned Van den Boomen as a potential future coach. "I think it's in me because I'm made for it tactically. There has to be that fire burning to show that you can also be a coach after your career. I don't know if it will happen. Maybe I'll take a break after my career. If I pick up football again after that, I can still become a coach."
All in all, Ajax's number 21 looks back on the 2012 Future Cup with a blissful feeling. He wants to impart some advice to the players who are now on the eve of the tournament.
Finally, Branco gives some advice to the players who are about to play now: "It may be easy to say that they should have a lot of fun and enjoy themselves—a bit of those terms. But it's also their first time on TV, and they'll probably be nervous."
"In the end, you play for Ajax because you have a lot of qualities. Let's hope the boys can show that. Play freely. When you're young, everything weighs heavily. You think such a tournament determines your career, but it doesn't." Van den Boomen emphasises that there is more pressure on the Ajax team because the tournament takes place on their own turf. "Because it's here, all eyes are on Ajax. In the Netherlands, quite a lot revolves around Ajax so that they can get used to that."
If time allows it, the Ajax player will visit the Future Cup. "If Ajax U17 has to play after our training, then I will definitely watch the match."
Top row: Orlando Trustfull, Brian Tevreden, Arnoud de Moor, Sheraldo Becker, Djavan Anderson, Branco van den Boomen, Stan Bijl, Xavier Mous, Thijs Griffioen, Joey Papamelodias, Tom Noordhoff, Gaviër Eustatius, Bas Bruning, Frits Andriese
At the bottom: Dylan Nieuwenhuijs, Serhat Cakmak, Queensy Menig, Niek Ossevoort, Ricardo Kishna, Django Warmerdam, Danny Bakker, Kenny Tete, Elton Armah
