Amakhosi forged in struggle... Ajax a sign of hope for future

TOMORROW’S league clash not only pits two exciting football teams against each other, but also two clubs with rich, interesting and yet such different histories.

Symbolically, the path travelled by Chiefs and Ajax is indicative of South Africa’s tumultuous past and the optimism harboured for the future.

Chiefs have their roots in the cauldron of the struggle against white domination, while Ajax emerged five years after the first democratic elections. The Soweto club’s pedigree and immense popularity dates back to apartheid’s dark days. The Cape side represent the recognition of such times and the promise and hope of a better era.

RODNEY REINERS looks at howtheseclubscametoprominence. the imagination of the public with an exciting, attractive brand of football, the strength and success of their youth academy, which regularly produced a plethora of top quality young players, and early silverware quickly followed – including the Rothmans Cup, Telkom Knockout Cup and the Absa Cup.

But recent years haven’t been too kind to Ajax. A bitter boardroom squabble between the club’s Cape partners – the Comitis brothers and the Efstathiou brothers – led to a period of struggle. And Ajax spent a few seasons in the doldrums, fighting ignominious battles against relegation from the top flight.

In 2013, the Comitis brothers, for the good of the club, stepped down. They sold their shares to the Efstathious – and ever since, Ajax have been on an upward trajectory, with the introduction of head coach Roger de Sa proving to be a master-stroke in changing the fortunes of the club.

Last season, the Urban Warriors finished fifth in the PSL. In May this year, they lost out on penalties to Mamelodi Sundowns in the final of the Nedbank Cup and, of course, last week they won the MTN8.

Was the victory over Chiefs a flash in the pan? Or do Ajax have the youth, energy and quality to do it again? Let’s see…