Has anybody been to Netherlands to see either team play? Any thoughts on what the experience was like? Did you prefer the experience of one team over the other?
Ajax was very flat when I went but it was only against Heracles. We bought tourist tickets through their website.
Could you do both in the same weekend? Google's telling me they're 1 hour 20 apart by train, you could fly to Amsterdam and back from Eindhoven or vice versa, or buy a return train fare.
Otherwise I'd say do Ajax (because Amsterdam's Amsterdam) then Feyenoord, Den Haag, Utrecht, AZ and probably more are within an hour's reach. We tied in Feyenoord, though again I expected a better atmosphere.
Yes. I went to see Ajax's final home game of the season a couple of years ago when they won the league. Amsterdam was a pretty special place to be for the rest of the evening! The quality of the football was pretty poor and Eriksen (now at Spurs) ran the show. The Amsterdam ArenA is an impressive ground, I think it only takes about 50,000 (maybe more?) but the hardcore fans are mental, think flares, fireworks etc. That may have been because they'd won the league that day so I don't what it's like on your average matchday!
One thing to remember before you make your way to the ground is that you can't buy any food or drink with cash inside. You have to purchase tokens inside the stadium and then exchange them for food and drink.
I don't about PSV, but you also have Feyenoord in Rotterdam not too far away as well.
Went to Feyenoord earlier this season, thought the atmosphere was excellent, but it was a derby against ADO, so maybe that helped. You can drink in your seat which was good. Oh, and you do get lots of industrial techno before the game and at half time.
Yes. I went to see Ajax's final home game of the season a couple of years ago when they won the league. Amsterdam was a pretty special place to be for the rest of the evening! The quality of the football was pretty poor and Eriksen (now at Spurs) ran the show. The Amsterdam ArenA is an impressive ground, I think it only takes about 50,000 (maybe more?) but the hardcore fans are mental, think flares, fireworks etc. That may have been because they'd won the league that day so I don't what it's like on your average matchday!
One thing to remember before you make your way to the ground is that you can't buy any food or drink with cash inside. You have to purchase tokens inside the stadium and then exchange them for food and drink.
Agree with all of this. Amsterdam ArenA is about 30mins from the centre of Amsterdam on the train, but the ground looks bigger than what it actually holds and if you choose a good game (they played Heerenveen when I saw them and it was a full house) you'll get a good atmosphere. Football isn't great but they'll normally beat the majority of the teams in their division, and it's always nice to see what it's like for a team to win at home...
They also play Bob Marley's 3 Little Birds as the teams come back out for the second half which was unexpected, but the whole stadium sang along which I thought was brilliant.
If you can get the tickets for less than £20/€30 I'd definitely suggest giving it a go.
I went to watch an Ajax vs Feyenoord U21s match once on what seemed a quiet weeknight and there were flare explosions going off all round, it was mental! Also, Utrecht is indeed lovely.
If you're not great with heights, FFS dont go in the away end...
...it is sooo steep up there. Not fun when you get left in the ground for an hour after losing a penalty shootout in a UEFA Cup quarter-final and then you get herded out onto the train waiting right outside the away end which takes you back to Amsterdam.
One thing though, it must be the only ground in the world that has the equivalent of patio heaters built into the roof of the stand, genius idea.
Yes. I went to see Ajax's final home game of the season a couple of years ago when they won the league. Amsterdam was a pretty special place to be for the rest of the evening! The quality of the football was pretty poor and Eriksen (now at Spurs) ran the show. The Amsterdam ArenA is an impressive ground, I think it only takes about 50,000 (maybe more?) but the hardcore fans are mental, think flares, fireworks etc. That may have been because they'd won the league that day so I don't what it's like on your average matchday!
One thing to remember before you make your way to the ground is that you can't buy any food or drink with cash inside. You have to purchase tokens inside the stadium and then exchange them for food and drink.
Agree with all of this. Amsterdam ArenA is about 30mins from the centre of Amsterdam on the train, but the ground looks bigger than what it actually holds and if you choose a good game (they played Heerenveen when I saw them and it was a full house) you'll get a good atmosphere. Football isn't great but they'll normally beat the majority of the teams in their division, and it's always nice to see what it's like for a team to win at home...
They also play Bob Marley's 3 Little Birds as the teams come back out for the second half which was unexpected, but the whole stadium sang along which I thought was brilliant.
If you can get the tickets for less than £20/€30 I'd definitely suggest giving it a go.
Ajax. Just for the only fools and horses episode To Hull and back where Del Boy and Rodders go to Amsterdam and Del Boy shouts Ajax at everyone he bumps into or upsets.
seen both play at home over the years .. Lived near Rotterdam for a while (in Gouda) and went to Feyenoord several times .. this was a long time ago mind you
Went to see Ajax v PSV at the Amsterdam Arena back in 2002 when there were players like Ibrahimovic, Robben, Litmanen, Kezman, Rommedahl, Vennegor of Hesselink, Chivu and Maxwell. PSV smashed Ajax 4 - 2 and Rommedahl was on fire. We did the whole stadium tour thing which was pretty impressive. Best bit was having a kick about on the training pitches just outside the stadium. One year we went about the same time Ajax had won the league and the fans went on a riot through the streets of Amsterdam and the police had to send in the water cannon to keep the peace.
Been to Amsterdam loads of times which of course ishhh great but Eindhoven is a top place to have a booze. To be fair - could say that about anywhere in holland. Apart from the formula one "hotel" in kirkrade obv.
Comments
Could you do both in the same weekend? Google's telling me they're 1 hour 20 apart by train, you could fly to Amsterdam and back from Eindhoven or vice versa, or buy a return train fare.
Otherwise I'd say do Ajax (because Amsterdam's Amsterdam) then Feyenoord, Den Haag, Utrecht, AZ and probably more are within an hour's reach. We tied in Feyenoord, though again I expected a better atmosphere.
One thing to remember before you make your way to the ground is that you can't buy any food or drink with cash inside. You have to purchase tokens inside the stadium and then exchange them for food and drink.
I don't about PSV, but you also have Feyenoord in Rotterdam not too far away as well.
Hope that helps!
Oh, and you do get lots of industrial techno before the game and at half time.
They also play Bob Marley's 3 Little Birds as the teams come back out for the second half which was unexpected, but the whole stadium sang along which I thought was brilliant.
If you can get the tickets for less than £20/€30 I'd definitely suggest giving it a go.
If you're not great with heights, FFS dont go in the away end...
...it is sooo steep up there. Not fun when you get left in the ground for an hour after losing a penalty shootout in a UEFA Cup quarter-final and then you get herded out onto the train waiting right outside the away end which takes you back to Amsterdam.
One thing though, it must be the only ground in the world that has the equivalent of patio heaters built into the roof of the stand, genius idea.
Ajax is a much nicer ground
Very intimidating atmosphere, but worth it.
Just for the only fools and horses episode To Hull and back where Del Boy and Rodders go to Amsterdam and Del Boy shouts Ajax at everyone he bumps into or upsets.