where does Van Bohemen’s special development lead him?

In the ‘Kweekvijver’ section, Ajax Showtime zooms in on Ajax’s showpiece every week: the youth academy

How crucial it is to gain trust is shown in the case of Chahine van Bohemen. The left back of Ajax Under 18 is making an impressive advance this season after a number of difficult years. Where will Van Bohemen’s spectacular development lead him in the coming months?

He is small, but technically well versed. His kicking technique is exceptional, both on the ground and in the air, and he also regularly scores from free kicks. As a left back, he plays the entire left flank and has a good feeling for choosing the moments when he attacks. He still has to make the necessary steps defensively, but the eighteen-year-old left back knows that himself. Van Bohemen, son of a Dutch father and a Moroccan mother, is an interesting talent to follow.

Since his arrival at Ajax, the left leg has been in the shadow of Prince Aning, but after Aning’s departure to Borussia Dortmund, Van Bohemen has risen. As a dispensation player at Ajax U18, he is an undisputed basic force with coach Frank Peereboom this season. It is a development that was not exactly in line with expectations, given Van Bohemen’s inconsistent performances in recent years. However, intimates are less surprised about the advance of the talented left back.

When Van Bohemen exchanges his amateur club VV Hoogland for Vitesse at the age of ten, he is not one of the greatest talents in the Arnhem team’s training. Van Bohemen can keep up, but is not an eye-catcher. This changes when he feels rock solid confidence in Vitesse’s O15. In a good team and with confidence from the trainers, Van Bohemen flourishes and eventually even earns an election for the Orange O15. It is a development that has not gone unnoticed in Amsterdam.

Transition to Ajax

Ajax invites Van Bohemen to De Toekomst and is soon convinced. In the summer of 2019, Van Bohemen will move from Vitesse to Ajax, where he will start in the U16. Ajax initially wants Van Bohemen to play as a center defender, but the newcomer himself does not like that. He sees himself as a left-back, because in that position he can express his attacking impulses much more than in the heart of the defense. At the left back position, however, there is competition from Aning, who is already known as a great talent. After a reasonable start at the O16, Van Bohemen is getting less and less work at Ajax. Sporadically, the left back shows flashes of his convincing game at Vitesse, but much more often his game is inconspicuous and anonymous.

Van Bohemen has difficulty with his role, although he usually hides this well. He remains one of the pacemakers in the team, but also wants to assert himself within the lines. Last summer there was suddenly a glimmer of hope for that. Aning is leaving and Ajax would like to keep Van Bohemen in the O18 for an extra year. The competition at Jong Ajax is fierce and, moreover, the club does not consider Van Bohemen physically and defensively ready for professional football. A season as a dispensation player in the O18 should prepare him for playing against adults. It turns out to be a correct assessment, which Van Bohemen is happy with from the very first moment.

Strong development

As a dispensation player, the left back has a rosy perspective on playing time for the first time in his time as an Ajax player and seizes his chance. Van Bohemen is remarkably dominant on the ball and shows himself with goals and assists. Currently, after fifteen matches, the counter stands at four goals and four assists, exceptionally good statistics for a left back. This return outweighs the moments of vulnerability that Van Bohemen shows defensively. His sometimes incorrect positioning is particularly noticeable in the Youth League matches against Liverpool, but with Peereboom’s coaching and the fact that Van Bohemen is emphatically open to these defensive instructions, the defender is also taking steps in this respect.

His strong development and the way in which this came about raise the question of what the future will bring to Van Bohemen. Physically, the Ajax player is a late bloomer, but with his strong play this season, his great potential is undeniable. The question, however, is whether Ajax is the club for Van Bohemen where he can maximize his potential. If he makes the step to Jong Ajax next season, there is a good chance that he will often end up on the bench again, while this season has shown what steps Van Bohemen can take if he takes action every week and feels confident. With concrete interest from home and abroad (including Italy), it is also quite conceivable that Van Bohemen will want to spread his wings and develop further at another club. The coming months will be crucial for Van Bohemen’s future at Ajax.

On Saturday 3 December, Van Bohemen will play with Ajax U18 against Feyenoord. The mini-Classic can be followed live from 2:30 PM via the channels of Ajax Showtime.

Thys Zwagerman (Twitter: @ThijsZwagerman | email: [email protected])

Read more ‘Incubator’:

#1 – Ajax O18: Quality is dripping with a load of top talents