Ouch... from Ajax to Ado The Hague

[SeanKeay]

American John O'Brien leaves Ajax, joins ADO The Hague

posted February 21 @ 10:35, EST

AMSTERDAM (AP) - Injured American midfielder John O'Brien will leave Ajax Amsterdam and join ADO The Hague after undergoing rehabilitation in the U.S., the clubs said Monday.

Ajax said it had dissolved its contract with O'Brien and ADO The Hague said it had signed him to a new contract that runs through the summer of 2006.

O'Brien, 27, will undergo two months of treatment for leg injuries and then join ADO next year, the Hague club said.

O'Brien was a star for the United States at the 2002 World Cup and a regular for Ajax until being felled by repetitive injuries to his Achilles tendon and hamstring over the past two seasons.

He was one of three Americans to play every minute of the 2002 World Cup, when the U.S. team reached the quarter-finals. He scored a goal in the fourth minute of the Americans' opening upset of Portugal and set up the lone U.S. goal in a 1-1 tie with South Korea.

His one-year contract at Ajax - which was based on appearances, with an eye to his injury-prone nature - was to expire June 30.

Ajax is currently third, while ADO is 14th in the Dutch premier league.

O'Brien, a native of California, joined Ajax in 1998 after training with the club's youth programs as a teenager.

He played 84 matches for Ajax, including appearances in the team's run to the Champions League quarter-finals in 2002-03.

[Tim St.Pauli]

hmm, pretty sad story. i liked to see him play in wc2002, but had already forgotten about him.

isn't ADO The Hague the team with these disgusting Nazi-fans?

[SeanKeay]

Not sure, but i might write a story with the bad guy being named

ADO the Hague...