You could pick and choose the credible emergence of a threatening powerbase in any given sport; the majority of leagues have suffered from a monopoly of illustrious names at varying stages, many of which are still ongoing and as persistent as ever before. Look no further than the Old Firm governance of the Scottish Premier League, the strangehold of Spain shared between Real Madrid and Barcelona and even extending the horizon to the authority recently wielded by the Sao-Paulo quartet in the Brazilian Serie A.
It is the natural consequence when a select assortment of clubs endure sustained success over elongated spells, abundantly rich in their pursuit of guiding every recognisable trophy into the control of their very own clutches, promoting their names into universally-revered brands and amassing the benefits which serve not only to fortify their standing domestically, but potentially in the elite grandeur of European competition. At the whim and call of the national press, every country has their own batch of affluent media darlings who dominate proceedings, but the Big Three of the Netherlands have woken to the realisation that they have been ousted from their seating at the pinnacle of Dutch affairs.
Leading the 2006-2007 Eredivisie and comforted with the knowledge that victory in their sole remaining fixture, away to Excelsior, would secure the championship, AZ Alkmaar were in cruise-control and responsible for their own destiny. Closely behind lay PSV and Ajax on equal points as goal difference separated the top three, vigilant and alert to pounce, lingering in the hope of hearing news of defeat for the leaders whilst also ensuring victory for themselves. Approaching injury-time at Excelsior, the fate of the championship rested on a knife-edge and one last ripple of the net ultimately shaped the destination of the winners’ medals.
Serving a late-helping of revenge is better than none at all as Louis Van Gaal found out, as it took another two seasons before the anguish of falling short of the title, handing PSV their 20th accomplishment, and the torment of conceding that 90th minute decider, which had it been converted at the opposite end of the pitch would have erased scenes of dejection and despondency, would end.
In 2009, the caption to AZ Alkmaar’s stirring season is one complete with jubilation, free of unresolved sorrow and wrapped up to perfection with three matches remaining. The Eredivisie championship was added to AZ’s honours list, for only the second occasion, after losing in only four of their matches and verifying their dominance with an eleven-point cushion. "This title doesn't take away the bad taste of 2007 because we should have won the double that year", Van Gaal told Voetbal International. Even more gratifying was to be the deeds carried out by a Steve McClaren-led FC Twente, who claimed the runners-up position to deny PSV, Ajax and Feyenoord qualification to the lucrative UEFA Champions League for the first time in its current format [since 1992].
Alkmaar hosts a relatively tiny population of 100,000 occupants and is comfortably dwarfed by the rival cities of Amsterdam, Eindhoven and Rotterdam, and so has it been outshone as a city in terms of football recognition – until now. When Ajax rode to Champions League glory in 1994/95, AZ Alkmaar were concealed within the murk of the second-tier Eerste Divisie and failed to gain promotion with an unspectacular finish to fifth. Elevation to the Eredivisie in 1997/1998 brought AZ much closer to their zenith days and they have ensured survival ever since, further impressing by reaching the semi-final of the UEFA Cup in 2005. Chairman Dirk Scheringa can be credited with diminishing the divide between his club and the previously-formidable Dutch trio, not only for providing substantial resources but additionally for keeping faith in Van Gaal when morale was in deep decline.
Internal disputes and wrangles can only be partially attributed to the failings of the Dutch old-guard as they lick their wounds with a summer off-season of rebuilding and reforming ahead. At the commencement of the season, Ajax would probably have rejoiced at finishing higher than PSV, who enjoyed four consecutive years as champions, in the belief the championship race was resolutely a two-horse race, only to despair at the demoralising reality that they have been leapfrogged by a couple of seemingly-inferior outfits.
Rotterdam-based Feyenoord, meanwhile, were closer to finishing in the relegation zone than competing with those at the peak of the table [15 points above relegated FC Volendam but a colossal 23 points behind third-placed Ajax and 35 behind AZ]. Intended to be the season that celebrates a hundred years in existence, festivities will strictly be kept for reminiscing the accomplishments of former generations, the last being the league title a decade ago.
As far as FC Twente goes, Steve McClaren has, in the short-term at least, enjoyed the metaphorical last laugh over the unforgiving English media after renovating his tarnished reputation by overseeing an impressive top-two finish, a feat which restores their hopes of advancing through to the Champions League group stages. The champagne remains on ice, however, as a debut season in Holland looks to be rounded-off emphatically with a Dutch Cup final victory over Heerenveen on Sunday. Ironically, rumours are gathering that Ajax could be waiting in the wings to offer McClaren the alluring opportunity to replace Marco Van Basten and coach them next season...
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