Hans Vonk and George Kazianis pose for a picture after signing an agreement.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Top Dutch football club Ajax has joined hands with Only4stars to start a private academy in the UAE.

The academy will be built with one goal in mind: accessible youth development. The six-year partnership will focus on training youth football players according to the Ajax philosophy, by three resident Ajax coaches.

This partnership comes after Only4stars successfully commenced a partnership between Ajax and Sharjah in April 2020.

With the football school, the Ajax Coaching Academy (ACA) is embarking on a new project. Training will be provided for children between the ages of five and seventeen. The aim is to offer talents at different levels the opportunity to become better footballers.

Obviously, football is central to every cooperation that Ajax enters into via the ACA. The input of the parties is clear: Ajax provides the football knowledge and experience. Only4stars, as the exclusive rights holder to the Ajax Private Academy UAE, will run and manage the day-to-day operations.

In addition to the three trainers who come over from Amsterdam, Hans Vonk (Project Manager -Ajax Coaching Academy) is also closely involved with the football school.

"In addition to the cooperation with Sharjah club , which is really focused on the development of coaches, players and staff at club level, this new football academy expands the Ajax footprint to impact more young aspiring players," says Vonk about the new project in the UAE.

“We will offer Grassroots Football, via the Ajax philosophy," Vonk continues.

"The trainers who are going to the UAE have been trained by Ajax and will train as many children as possible in the Ajax way. We are really starting the project from scratch and we are proud to have Only4stars as our partners."

Vonk and the Ajax trainers work closely with George Kazianis of Only4Stars. "Ajax has a long standing relationship with Only4stars and has established themselves in the region.

The cooperation that we, the Ajax Coaching Academy, enter into with Only4stars is based on football and the development of talent. Of course, we always keep our eyes open for talent. Just like we do with our partner club Sharjah and our other partners and activities worldwide."