Maurice Steijn left as coach after careful consultation with Ajax. Steijn only managed to win one of the first seven competition matches. After yesterday’s 4-3 defeat in Utrecht, Ajax is currently seventeenth.
Steijn announced yesterday ‘to feel support from the club‘. But the Amsterdammers said that Steijn and Ajax agreed today that it was better for both parties to part ways. “We came to the conclusion that this is now the best thing for Ajax, although I think it is a great shame. Anyone who knows me knows that I have done everything I can to bring Ajax back to where this club belongs. But it is not me succeeded,” says Steijn. “I would like to thank the supporters and the people I have worked with here and I hope that Ajax will soon take the upward path.”
“We have worked together very intensively and professionally in recent months, but the sporting results and the development of the team lagged behind,” temporary general manager Jan van Halst responds to the start of the season. “Maurice himself has now also indicated that he has doubts as to whether he is still the right man in the right place. Together we then came to the conclusion that it is better to separate.”
Surprise
To the surprise of many, Steijn was presented in June as John Heitinga’s successor. Sven Mislintat, technical director at the time, explained that Ajax had brought in an ‘overperformer’ with the Sparta coach.
Ajax managed to win the first competition match, at home against Heracles, 4-1. Also during the first European match of the season, in Bulgaria against Ludogorets, Ajax left the field with a 4-1 victory. Then it went downhill.
All time low
In the Arena, Ajax lost to Ludogorets (0-1) and in the competition Ajax has not won since the first matchday. There was also the away match against RKC Waalwijk, which was stopped due to a serious injury to RKC goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen. Ajax was ahead 2-3 at that moment.
Ajax reached its lowest point in the Classic. In the Johan Cruijff Arena, the match against Feyenoord was stopped at 0-3 because fireworks were thrown onto the field. A few days later the match was played in an empty stadium and the score was also 0-4.
On Thursday, Ajax will take on Brighton and Hove Albion in England in the Europa League. Hedwiges Maduro will then be the trainer for the group. He will do the honors for the time being.
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