23 October 2023 , 17:40
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Ajax have sacked manager Maurice Steijn following a dreadful start to the season.
The Dutch giants are second bottom of the Eredivisie table, having won just one of their opening seven games. Only FC Volendam have a worse record this campaign, with Steijn failing to turn his side's wretched form around.
Steijn was only appointed as manager in the summer, after Erik ten Hag's immediate successor Alfred Schreuder was himself sacked in January. Former Everton star Johnny Hetinga filled in for the rest of last season, before Steijn was brought in from Sparta Rotterdam.
But his reign has now been ended after just 11 games, with the Dutchman guiding his side to just two wins. That poor return left Ajax bosses with no option other than to let him go.
"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," a club statement read.
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Steijn revealed he was told of the decision in a meeting with the club's board on Monday morning. Hedwiges Maduro has been placed in caretaker charge, with Steijn admitting his regret at how his reign had ended.
He said: "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.
Ajax have had several games halted due to fan disorder amid their awful season (ANP via Getty Images)"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."
Steijn's sacking comes after Ajax's clash with Utrecht on Sunday was twice suspended after fans threw missiles onto the pitch. The game was level at 3-3 when some Ajax supporters began chucking objects onto the pitch, with referee Dennis Higler immediately halting the game and taking the players off the pitch.
Play was able to resume, with Utrecht scoring a late winner through Oscar Luigi Fraulo. That further infuriated the Ajax fans and they again disrupted the match, though Utrecht held on to condemn the visitors to a fourth successive defeat.
Ajax have already sacked transfer chief Sven Mislintat amid the club's wort-ever start to a season. And chief executive Jan van Halst, who was only appointed last month, decided that Steijn was not the man to turn the club around.
"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," Van Halst.
"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."