This is the place to discuss 'The Romanian Tiger', Ajax's #1 Bogdan Lobont!!

Boggy signed a new and improved contract today - and will be an Ajacied until 2008!

Great news! In the beginnning he had trouble with high balls, but at the moment he doesn't have any obvious weaknesses.

It does mean that Stekelenburg won't become first goalkeeper for a while, so I think he should be loaned out.

Thumbs up to Bogdan Lobont.I agree wholeheartedly with Arthur. I was not keen on Lobont,injury-prone and all that, at first. He has proven my criticisms dead wrong.As for Stekelenberg,there is no sense keeping a youngster sitting around.If Ajax is not sure of him as a #1 now, they will be even more unsure if he sits on the pine or is a Jong Ajax starter.Loan out Stekelenberg and keep Boschker, at 33 the perfect age for a reserve keeper type,as the #2.

Yep I completely agree as well. Stekelenberg's got the potential to be an awesome keeper, but he needs to play at the top level. Hopefully we can loan him to another Eredivisie team.

I must say that I have been one of Lobont's most vocal critics. I have watched him closely and complained loudly when he screwed up. That being said, I am pleasantly surprised with his play this year. I firmly beleive he is the reason Ajax is at the top of the Eredivisie. Last year, Chivu saved his ass all the time. This year, Lobont is saving the defense several times a match.

As for Stecklenberg, we saw all to easily how easy it is for a keeper to get injured in the PSV match. I think we keep him... let him play with Jong Ajax... and see how it goes.

More injuries...

Bogdan Lobont landed unluckily during the very last training in Portugal and has had a back-ache since. He complains about tingling feeling in his back. He had it checked at the hospital and the doctors gave him the advice to give it one week of total rest. After that they will check it again.

This means he will miss the first couple of Eredivisie games (Roda away and NEC at home) after the winter-break, for sure (and maybe more, depending on his recovery).

Based on the Portugal games I suppose it's a safe bet that Maarten Stekelenburg will replace him. Seems like Sander Boschker is currently the third man.

Stekelenburg IS BETTER........

Sorry to be dogmatic, but Lobont to me has never proven he's the man.....

Exhibit "A": Brugge

Your honour, I rest my case.....................

Yeah, he was terrible in Brugge. But otherwise I have slowly started to trust him in the past year and a half. I've actually started really liking him. However, I also have a lot of faith in Maarten Stekelenburg, whom I regard as the next Edwin van der Sar. He's our man for the future.

In fact: I'm pretty glad Stekelenburg will be playing against Roda, in particular. Roda is one of Holland's taller and more physical sides (along with FC Utrecht). Lobont's #1 weakness: high crosses. Sometimes he totally sucks on corners, free-kicks and other high balls from the flanks. Stekelenburg is taller, but also technically more reliable on high balls.

Sander Boschker hasn't played an official game for Ajax yet, but I've seen him in action many times for FC Twente - and I've never liked him. He's one of those goalkeeper who still makes major mistakes, even though he's got 17 years of Eredivisie experience. I've seen him giving away goals against Ajax... phew. Best example: Zlatan, early in the 2001-2002 season...

http://www.ajax-usa.com/matches/01-02/0908.html

I actually agree with Koeman's hierarcy of goalkeepers at the moment:

1. Lobont
2. Stekelenburg
3. Boschker

I can live with that.

So I noticed Lobont hasn't played for a while I was wondering whats wrong with him?

That's actually a very good question...

I know he sustained an injury on the very last day of the Portugal training camp, but I don't know what kind of injury exactly. And as far as I'm aware no-one ever expected it to be this serious...

ok thanks for the info i hope he gets better soon.

IF I read Ajax Netwerk right, Lobont is back to training.My question, given Stekelenberg's play, is which keeper gets the nod? No offense to Boggie but if I was coaching,I'd ride the hot hand.Stekelenberg is IN FORM. I ride him till he isn't.

I have a feeling Boggy will not get his spot back just like that...

Stekelenburg again looked great in Volendam. He didn't have much to do, but when he had to act he did it flawlessly - and he had two really great saves.

But we'll see what happens. I'm fine with Boggy also. As long as it's not Boschker.

I can't see koeman pick Stekelburg over a fit Lobont, and for good reason. Though Stekelenburg might be doing well at the moment ('unfortunately' i haven't seen a single second of the volendam game) this is no guarantee he will de equally as well in the following games. He is, after all, still only 21 (right?) and you can't expect a young player like that to have the consistency of an older player. And the most important aspect of a goalie is his consistency, he should be someone you can rely on, day in day out. I think Stekelburg should not look at his fellow young teammates too much, and just accept that at this point in his carreer, he lacks the experience to be the #1 Ajax goalie.

Well, he'll get the experience from playing games with the first team. I say; Go with Stekelenburg, I've always like his style of play.