Soccer: Ipswich mirror Ajax values

There have been numerous comparisons between the footballing merits of Ipswich and their Dutch cousins Ajax over the years.

Now Martijn Reuser reckons there is the same ‘vibe’ at Portman Road that he first felt as a youngster with the Amsterdam giants.

Winger Reuser has been instrumental in Town’s surge towards the Champions League in recent weeks and he can sense the same atmosphere that developed back in the mid-90s at his former club and that carried them to European Cup glory.

Apart from being flat, sleepy Suffolk and the heart of Holland might not appear to have much in common, but beneath the surface the penchant for passing at the two clubs shares a mutual thread.

Bobby Robson led Ipswich into nine European campaigns in the 1970s and 80s and the UEFA Cup was secured with two other more famous Dutchmen, Arnold Muhren and Frans Thijssen, integral to the triumph.

George Burley’s modern Tractor Boys are already guaranteed a continental return next season and three wins from their last three matches, starting at Charlton tomorrow night would put them in rude health for a Champions League campaign.

The last time Ajax lifted the trophy, back in 1995, Reuser was a member of their squad alongside the likes of Patrick Kluivert, Edgar Davids and Marc Overmars.

‘The atmosphere and philosophy are pretty much the same as in the best days at Ajax,’’ said Reuser. ‘‘I feel the positive vibe here now.

‘‘I felt it back then but I was still young and your view on football is totally different. You live off raw exuberance.’’

Reuser, 26, never lived up to the high expectations at Ajax, hardly surprising given the quality of the squad that contained some of Europe’s current superstars and a broken leg suffered as a teenager.

He still keeps in touch with Juventus goalkeeper Edwin van der Saar and remembers the camaraderie of a young side that grew up together.

Back then critics said that a team so young would choke at the final hurdle. Probably the same brigade that have continuously written off Ipswich’s chances of finishing in the top three.

‘‘With us now there is a lot of fun but there is no quitting. We have great confidence, are playing some fantastic games and getting results,’’ said Reuser.

‘‘Even when we didn’t play well at Middlesbrough recently we still won. That shows we are not a lucky team but a good one.

‘‘The critics are becoming positive all of a sudden. They have certainly motivated us with what they said but if we didn’t have the players we would lose anyway.

‘‘It’s going through my mind all the time, I want to reach the highest I can and grab what is there to grab. A place in the Champions League is there for the taking if we win three matches.

‘‘And if you look at us over the season it would be a big disappointment if we didn’t make it.’’

Reuser learnt his trade in the Dutch art of wing play from the age of 14, when he first joined the Ajax school.

He admits he was never ‘‘a super talent’’ like Kluivert or Clarence Seedorf, both one year his junior, in those formative years.

But he will never forget his senior debut in a 1993-94 European Cup Winners’ Cup tie against Turkish side Besiktas.

Then 18 he was still at school and recalls a Tuesday like any other in class and his usual evening training with the reserves was due to follow.

A car was waiting for him at the training ground and he was whisked off to join the first-team squad.

With nerves almost frayed Reuser sat on the bench and watched as the visitors notched a vital away goal. He entered the first-leg in the second period with Ajax a goal down.

They were soon level and every young boy’s fantasy turned to reality with time running out as he whipped in a cross for Ronald de Boer to head an 81st-minute winner.

‘‘It was incredible to be involved and to make a debut like that in a European game was unbelievable,’’ he said.

‘‘What is fantastic is that I can remember after the game, Frank Rijkaard came up to me and said ‘well done’ son and ruffled my hair. I just thought it was unbelievable.’’

Established stars such as Rijkaard and Danny Blind were minders for the unbounded young talent flowing through the side.

On a personal level Reuser remained a bit-part player and admits to having his worst season in 1994-95 when he found it hard to juggle football and school. In fact, he failed his exams by half a point as a consequence.

‘‘My mind was in two pieces,’’ he added. ‘‘But I chose to go professional that summer and I scored in all the first four league games the next season.

‘‘I was in an incredible team that had just won the European Cup. I was a good member of the squad but not sure of my place.

‘‘Sometimes I used to feel ashamed that I had to sit on the bench but I was with the best team in the whole of Europe. When I look back at the team I was so happy to be a part of it.’’

He may have played a greater part had it not been for freakish bad luck.

Overmars, his direct rival on the left-hand side, tore ligaments in his leg in December to provide an opportunity. A week later Reuser’s season was over after he suffered a broken leg.

He did return to feature in the World Club Championship victory, secured on penalties, against Brazilians Gremio but admits: ‘‘At the time I didn’t enjoy it enough or appreciate it.’’

One gets the impression the older, wiser version is ready to appreciate Ipswich’s success to the full.

Not a natural defender, it took a couple of meetings with Burley about his contribution to the team’s work ethic for him to grasp a regular role.

He returned to the side against Bradford in February and promptly netted a stunning brace. He has not looked back.

‘‘That is what is good about us. Every player wants to improve from one to 11. But also numbers 12 to 20 do.

‘‘That’s very important and you can see that example with me. I have improved and shown the trainer that I can be part of the team and be important to the team.

‘‘My own feeling was that I was on the bench too long. I scored vital goals against Bradford and although I played some good games before that I hadn’t scored and that was a heavy thing on my back.

‘‘George has asked me to improve on my defensive duties and you can always improve your game. Now I know what he wants and looking at the bench there are a lot of players there that want to play.’’