Patrick Ax

Patrick Ax (born 1 December 1979 in Groningen), is a Dutch retired football player who has played for several clubs in his home country as well as winning caps for the Netherlands U-21 side.

Patrick Ax
Personal information
Date of birth (1979-12-01) 1 December 1979
Place of birth Groningen, Netherlands
Height 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1998 Groningen 7 (0)
1998–2000 Vitesse 1 (0)
1999–2000 → De Graafschap (loan) 16 (5)
2000–2004 NEC 104 (9)
2004–2006 De Graafschap 52 (8)
2006–2008 Go Ahead Eagles 58 (7)
2008–2010 Dijkse Boys
National team
2000–2001 Netherlands U-21 5 (1)
Netherlands (Beach)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He currently is youth coach at Vitesse.[2]

Playing career

Club

Ax began his career at hometown club FC Groningen, making his league debut against PSV Eindhoven on 25 August 1996.[3] Although he made few appearances, he caught the eye of Vitesse Arnhem, who signed the left winger in 1998. Ax, however, only managed to make a single appearance in his first season, and was loaned to De Graafschap for the following season. Here he managed to score 5 goals in 16 appearances.

Following his loan move Ax returned to Vitesse, where he was sold to their rivals NEC Nijmegen. Here Ax enjoyed the most successful period of his career, playing four seasons and featuring regularly in the side. In the 2002–03 season Ax helped NEC to finish in fifth place in the league, resulting in UEFA Cup football the following season. NEC lost to Wisła Kraków in the first round of the 2003-04 UEFA Cup, with Ax making substitute appearances in both legs of the tie and receiving a red card in the second.[4] Injuries, however, started to take the toll on the player,[5] and Ax subsequently left NEC at the end of his contract in 2004.[6]

Ax returned to De Graafschap in 2004 and spent two seasons with his former club. His first season saw De Graafschap finish in a disappointing 17th place resulting in relegation to the Eerste Divisie. After playing one season in the second tier, Ax moved to fellow Eerste Divisie side Go Ahead Eagles. Ax spent two seasons at the Deventer-based team before announcing his retirement in 2008.

International

Ax was part of the same Netherlands under 21 side as future internationals Dirk Kuyt, Rafael van der Vaart and John Heitinga,[7] but despite several appearances he did not make the step up to the full national team.

Ax took part in the 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship with the Netherlands. He had previously scored a goal in a qualifying match against the Republic of Ireland.[8]

Ax has also played Beach soccer for the Netherlands,[9] representing his country in 3 matches at the 2013 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Tahiti.[10]

Retirement

Ax retired from professional football at the relatively young age of 29. Ax played amateur football for Dijkse Boys.[11] He helped the Helmond-based team to achieve promotion to the Topklasse for the 2010–11 season, the highest level of amateur football in the Netherlands.[12] From 2010 through 2014 Ax played for TEC.

References
  1. "Worldfootball profile". Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  2. Tim Cornelisse en Patrick Ax nieuwe jeugdtrainers Vitesse - Vitesse (in Dutch)
  3. "Patrick Ax" (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  4. "2003/04 NEC Nijmegen – Wisła Kraków" (in Polish). Retrieved 31 May 2010.
  5. "Patrick Ax" (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 May 2010.
  6. NEC neemt afscheid van Patrick Ax - Voetbal International (in Dutch)
  7. "England U21s go through". BBC News. 13 November 2001. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  8. "Gutsy Irish fall to Dutch; EUROPEAN U-21 CHAMPIONSHIPS FT Holland 2 Republic of Ireland 0.(Football)". The Birmingham Post. 2 September 2002. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  9. "Beach Team revancheert zich" (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  10. Patrick Ax – FIFA competition record
  11. "Patrick Ax" (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 6 March 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2010.
  12. "Boys dike to class" (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 May 2010.
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