Football: Ajax have the edge - O'Neill; VILLA NEWS.

Byline: By Bill Howell

MARTIN O'Neill believes Ajax's experience of recent European competition will make them street-wise and give them the edge at Villa Park.

Marco Van Basten's side are very much at the rebuilding stage and nowhere near the swashbuckling greats of Johan Cruyff and Ruud Kroll in the early 1970s.

Ajax won the old European Cup in 1971, 1972, and 1973 and the Champions League in 1995.

Furthermore, they lifted the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1987, the UEFA Cup in 1992 and UEFA Super Cup in 1973 and 1995.

But despite such an illustrious past the last few years have not been so good with a series of failures in Europe.

Nevertheless their European pedigree is something that fills O'Neill with a little dread.

"I'm not talking just about the history but they hold a big advantage of having the experience of playing in Europe in recent years," he said.

"That is the difference. They have had Champions League experience in recent times and I don't think they have missed out on Europe too often.

"Whereas our club, in recent times, have not had that many experiences.

We have not played in this competition since 2001."

Under former Chelsea assistant Henk ten Cate they missed out on a Champions League place in 2006/2007 after a defeat to FC Copenhagen in the qualifiers.

They eventually fell to Werder Bremen in the last 32 in the UEFA Cup.

Last season they sold Ryan Babel to Liverpool and Wesley Sneijder to Real Madrid.

They again missed out on a Champions League place losing to Slavia Prague, and they didn't make it through to the group phase of the UEFA Cup after losing to Dinamo Zagreb.

Ajax inflicted Groningen's first defeat of the season at the weekend, winning 1-0 in Amsterdam.

Van Basten tried out a slightly different formation to cure a poor run of form with winger Jeffrey Sarpong played behind lone striker and chief threat Klaas Jan Huntelaar.

Their away form continues to be a threat, however, after a recent 5-2 defeat at Heerenveen.

But O'Neill is under no uillusions that whatever game plan they arrive, it will be tough to break down.

He said: "They will arrive in good spirits. Whatever approach they come with, it will suit them."

CAPTION(S):

AJAX LEGEND... Johan Cruyff.