AFC Ajax has officially transitioned four of its former players into permanent staff roles following the successful completion of a rigorous two-and-a-half-year internal traineeship. This initiative underscores the club’s strategic commitment to retaining institutional knowledge and fostering a “player-to-executive” career pathway.
New Appointments Across Departments
The four professionals have been placed in departments that align with their specific expertise gained during their playing careers:
- Kelly Zeeman: Joins Ajax Media, where she will focus on digital media production, social media strategy, and video content for the club’s communication platforms.
- Ricardo van Rhijn: transitions into the Commercial Partnerships department, managing key accounts and supporting broader commercial growth initiatives.
- Siem de Jong & Daniel de Ridder: Take on technical management roles under Technical Director Jordi Cruijff.
- De Jong will oversee scouting operations and provide technical support across all football departments.
- De Ridder will manage transfer operations, coordinating player recruitment, transactions, and stakeholder relations.
Strategic Institutional Knowledge
The traineeship program, championed by General Director Menno Geelen, serves as a blueprint for clubs looking to professionalize their internal structures while maintaining the “Ajax DNA.” By rotating former players through various departments before finalizing their roles, the club ensures that executive decisions are informed by both administrative expertise and firsthand locker-room experience.
Technical Director Jordi Cruijff praised the initiative, noting: “Siem and Daniel know the football world from the inside and have become familiar with the organisational side of Ajax. That is a valuable combination for the club.”
General Director Menno Geelen added that the program is set for future expansion, emphasizing that: “Practical experience and a top-level sports mentality add extra value to the club. Knowledge from the dressing room cannot be learned from a book.”