Link <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>“Although I have never actually worked at the “Arena” before, this feels a bit like homecoming. I left Ajax and the Netherlands 15 years ago, but now I’m here again. It feels good to be back,” he was quoted on the club’s website. Now at 39, Bergkamp was a graduate of the famous academy of the Amsterdam club in 1986 and worked wonders, mostly as a striker, with the Godenzonen first team until ’93, when he moved to Internazionale for a fee equivalent to 17.5 million euros. He only stayed in Milan for two years, but he was certainly worth every cent of the 11.25 million Arsenal invested on him. In case you missed it, it was announced on Monday that he earned second place among the 50 greatest Gunners of all-time, behind only Thierry Henry. He really missed it Dennis the Menace initially rejected being involved in football again, but after two years of rest and time spent with his family he’s back where he belongs. “It is indeed a bit strange, but it feels fantastic to step on the turf again. That’s why I decided to take up the professional coaching course,” he admitted. According to KNVB regulations, the course is shorter for retired international footballers. However, it requires an apprenticeship with a professional club and Van Basten did not hesitate last April to offer the post to his former Ajax and Netherlands teammate. Bergkamp will be part of Van Basten’s backroom staff throughout the 2008-’09 campaign, while another former Ajax prodigy, 32-year-old Patrick Kluivert, will spend the season with AZ in a similar capacity. “Someone like Dennis speaks directly to the players’ souls,” Van Basten said. True inspiration “I know Bergkamp mostly from his Arsenal period. I’m too young to remember his Ajax days,” said 19-year-old Serbian Miralem Sulejmani, whose 16.25-million move from Heerenveen broke the Dutch transfer record this summer. “He was really a top-class player and I’m of course glad he’s here. I can certainly learn a lot from people such as him and Van Basten.” Darío Cvitanich’s last impression of Bergkamp in action is not that pleasant. “Yeah, I remember that [July 4] 1998 World Cup game,” the Argentine told the Ajax website. “He scored in the semi-final against us, in the last minute too [2-1 in Marseille]. It was a splendid strike.” The heart and soul of Ajax The Johan Cruijff Schaal holders always take care of their own. John van’t Schip and Rob Witschge will be working alongside Van Basten as well, Danny Blind is the director of football and on Tuesday it was announced that Frankie de Boer signed a two-year contract to serve as trainer of the Ajax A1 youth squad, while also being Bert van Marwijk’s assistant with the Oranje.</div>
