Johan Cruijff ArenA

Video van Ajax: een nieuwe grasmat in de Johan Cruijff ArenA

Published at 18 January 2023

Take a look at a video of Ajax in which you get a look behind the curtains during the placement of the new pitch in the Johan Cruijff ArenA, as preparation for the second half of the season! Would you like to know more about Roy and his job as fieldmanager? At the bottom of the page you'll find our recent interview with Roy.

New pitch

Ater a few months of concerts like the Toppers and Huis van Oranje, it was time for a new pitch in the ArenA. Inside Ajax joined fieldmanager Roy for a few days, who's responsible for the pith together with his team, and they filmed all the tasks that come look around the corner when a new pitch gets placed in the Johan Cruijff ArenA.

"It's always a bit scary to re-sod a field", Roy tells us in the video. The new pitch existed out of about 310 turfs that were transported to the Johan Cruijff ArenA in 25 trucks. These turfs, that consist of less than 10% artificial grass, were rolled out in a few days time. "You don't notice it, the artificial grass, but it gives the players more grip", according to Roy.

Quality

Placing a new pitch always happens with a big and fun team, which is only something positive, according to Roy. "It all starts with a good team, and we have that, and that is reflected in the quality of the pitch."

As usual, Roy and his team make sure the quality of the pitch is always a high as possibly. 'Champions League level', they call it, regardless of Ajax is playing against Real Madrid or FC Emmen. "There's lots of people who look at this field, so you want it to be the best."