Ajax USA
April 16 2005

Armenian striker Edgar Manucharyan joins Ajax

15 April: Edgar Manucharyan, gifted striker of Armenian champions
Pyunik Erevan FC, has committed to Ajax for the next three seasons,
as of 01 July 2005. The 18 year-old signed broke a metatarsal during
his try-out in Amsterdam in December 2004, but got a second chance
and made such a good impression on Ajax’s technical staff that he got
to sign a three season deal at the Amsterdam ArenA today.

Edgar Manucharyan (born 19 January 1987) finished the Armenian
football season as the topscorer (21 goals in 22 games) of champions
Pyunik, before flying to Amsterdam on a try-out in December of 2004.
Manucharyan made a good impression and got to make his unofficial
Ajax-1 début in the 14 December friendly against FC Barcelona in
Elche, Spain. It would turn out to be a bizarre evening for the
Armenian teenager: after only 13 minutes he had to be carried off
with what turned out to be a broken metatarsal in his right foot. The
players was deeply disappointed as he entered the dressing room, but
was then told that he had been voted ‘Footballer of the Year’ in his
fatherland of Armenia.

Manucharyan remained in Amsterdam until the winter break, undergoing
treatment from Ajax’s medical staff. Ajax promised him a second
chance – and the fully recovered ‘Manucharyan candidate’ (sorry, we
just had to repeat the joke…) got it in early April. He once again
impressed the Ajax staff, this time with a contract as the outcome.

“First of all, I want to thank the doctors and medical staff of Ajax
very much for all of their help,” Manucharyan said after penning his
deal. “Also, I get along with well with the coaches and the players
on the team, so I already feel more or less at home. I was also very
well looked after by a guest family, so I’m already getting used to
Holland. I want to thank them in particular, for everything they’ve
done for me. Thanks to their hospitality I’ve felt at home from the
start.”

“I’ve followed Ajax ever since I was a little boy,” Manucharyan
added, “I will never forget the Champions League final of 1995. Ajax
proved that you can beat hard, defensive football with pretty
football. I followed the club even more closely after that game. And
now I’m signing at Ajax. It’s a dream. I hope I’ll be able to bring
something extra.”

Manucharyan has had a meteoric career in Armenia. Only 18 years of
age, he already played a full season as the centre-forward of Pyunik
Erevan, became the topscorer of the league, a starter for the
Armenian national team and was voted ‘Footballer of the Year’.
Manucharyan will join the first team of the Amsterdammers in July, at
the start of the preparation campaign for the 2005-2006 season. (MP)

Source: Ajax.nl

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