It is a well-known cliché in football that getting to the top is hard, but staying there is harder. In the matchday programme for August 31, 2014, the “De Trainer” column featured Ajax manager Frank de Boer, who was attempting to guide his team to an unprecedented fifth consecutive Eredivisie title. His words offer a fascinating glimpse into the psychology of an overwhelming favorite.
De Boer arrived at the Euroborg licking his wounds after a recent home defeat to PSV. Despite the setback, his focus remained sky-high, explicitly mentioning the club’s ambition to survive the winter in the Champions League. However, he was acutely aware of the unique atmosphere that awaited his team in Groningen. “For many opponents, the home game against Ajax is ‘the match of the year’,” De Boer noted. “You definitely notice that. Sometimes it seems like it doesn’t matter to them if they lose the other 33 matches, as long as they win against us.”
De Boer also highlighted a brilliant subplot to the fixture: the revenge narrative. “Almost half of the starting players of FC Groningen have an Ajax past, which perhaps makes it extra special for them,” he observed. He was referring to players like Danny Hoesen, Johan Kappelhof, and Jarchinio Antonia, who had all spent time in the famous Amsterdam academy before finding their true home in the North. De Boer knew he wasn’t just facing a hostile crowd; he was facing players with a point to prove.
A Look into the Future
By 2026, the 2014/2015 season is remembered as the year the Ajax hegemony finally cracked. Frank de Boer‘s quest for a fifth consecutive title failed, as PSV ultimately ran away with the league. And the cracks truly began to show on that late August afternoon at the Euroborg. The Groningen players with an “Ajax past” that De Boer mentioned played out of their skin, helping secure a famous 2-0 victory for the home side. De Boer’s column perfectly diagnosed the danger—the extreme motivation of the opponent and the ex-players—but his star-studded team was ultimately powerless to stop it.