Ajax have confirmed they parted ways with head coach Maurice Steijn after their horrendous start to the season leaves them second bottom of the league.
In a statement on Monday, the Dutch giants confirmed that Steijn has agreed to step down with immediate effect.
The statement read: ‘Ajax and Maurice Steijn will part ways with immediate effect. The club management and Steijn have agreed that the coach will step down from his position. Steijn (Den Haag, November 20, 1973) transferred from Sparta Rotterdam to Ajax this summer and signed a contract until June 30, 2026.’
Ajax Chief Executive Jan van Halst said: ‘We have worked intensely and professionally together over the last few months. But the sportive successes and the development of the team were lacking.
‘That is why we decided to sit down together again today. This time, Maurice also expressed his concerns on whether he was the right man in the right place. Together, we decided that it would be best to part ways. Hedwiges Maduro will do the honours for the coming period.’
Maurice Steijn has been sacked by Ajax after a dreadful start to the season that leaves them second bottom of the league
Ajax fans threw flares and vandalised their own stadium last month, causing their game against Feyenoord to be abandoned
Club captain Steven Bergwijn tried to calm down angry fans after the final whistle during last weekend’s clash against Utrecht
Steijn confirmed the news: ‘This morning, I sat down with the board, and we continued our talks later this afternoon. We came to the conclusion that this is what is best for Ajax, although I regret that.
‘Everyone who knows me knows I have done everything to take Ajax back to the place where this club belongs. But I failed to do so. I want to thank the supporters and the people I have worked with here, and I hope Ajax will find its way up again soon.’
On Saturday, Ajax suffered their fourth defeat this season against Utrecht leaving them second bottom of the Eredivisie.
Once again play was forced to be suspended due to disruptive fan behaviour, this time a supported throwing a cup onto the pitch.
The players looked to calm down angry fans after the 4-3 defear, but to no avail, highlighting the toxic atmosphere at the club right now after a run of eight games without a win in all competitions.
Back at the end of September Steijn’s men delivered a dreadful performance in their game against defending champions Feyenoord , and their fans responded by throwing flares onto the pitch to get the game abandoned.
The angry supporters continued on to vandalise their own stadium, as police attempted to disperse them by using tear gas.
After these ugly scenes Ajax sacked sporting director Sven Mislintat, however since then the team have not won in three games.
Police are forced to use tear gas to dispell Ajax fans after they disrupted a league match against Feyenoord
Dutch legend Rafael Van Der Vaart has labelled Ajax a ‘relegation candidate’ after their terrible form so far
Their league form has been dire, and they have been unable to click into gear in Europe either, drawing their first two Europa League matches.
The fans’ reaction to Sunday’s loss highlighted the atmosphere at the club is not improving, and club legend Rafael Van Der Vaart was quick to voice his major concerns after the final whistle.
Van Der Vaart insisted: ‘Ajax has to play like Excelsior. You are no longer Ajax. You have to assume that you are not better than your opponent, because they simply do not have the qualities for that. Even the good players are dragged along with the level. Then there is little left.
‘It sounds a bit lame, but you have to think like a relegation candidate at the moment. That’s very sad, but it’s true.’
The club’s issues were in place well before Steijns time at the helm, as after four-and-a-half successful years Amsterdam, Erik ten Hag left the club to join Manchester United.
Ten Hag took star players Antony and Lisandro Martinez with him and was replaced by Alfred Schreuder.
Schreuder had operated largely as an assistant coach for much of his career and struggled to make the step up to the top job at one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Within months, there were reports of a dressing room revolt as the team failed to hit their usual lofty heights, and Schreuder was sent packing in January.
Steijn has clearly fared no better, and Ajax are now once again back in the market for a head coach who can turn this disatrous season back around
Maurice Steijn only joined Ajax in the summer from Rotterdam, but has struggled in the dugout
