Just about Ajax

There are moments when you think: no, this can't be. Impossible. There is a downside to this. And I have tried to turn and twist the story of the Ajax women, but I still don't understand a single bit of it.

What's going on?

The women of Ajax have become national champions. That indeed hasn't dominated the news like Feyenoord's victory. Football can still be part of a long line of issues where it is not yet (you feel the understatement) equal between men's and women's affairs. But if we look at the silver lining around the dark cloud, the good news is that women's football is booming. Women's football has only been recognized by the KNVB since 1971, and still, very few clubs were waiting for a women's branch. Too much hassle, they thought. It all started small with 5,000 playing women in the Netherlands, now there are over 65,000.

If the OranjeLeeuwinnen become European champions, the popularity of the sport will really take off: our women play for major foreign clubs, and Lieke Martens swapped FC Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain. This season, the women of Ajax finished with the national title, an incredible achievement.

Let the tour boats sail and uncork the champagne, you would say. But what is the response from the Ajax top? No celebration. You read that right. No. Celebration.

The reason? Because the situation with the men is so below par in many respects, they find a celebration for the women inappropriate.

Don't you also not know where to start with asking questions? Like: but if the women weren't doing well, that was never a reason to not let a men's party go on? Or: shouldn't you precisely celebrate the successes that do exist?

My dear colleague Franska Stuy from the oh so lovely Franska.co.uk says so often: ’I don't need a facelift. Some situations are so strange that my eyebrows shoot up automatically.’

This is one of those.