Just four years ago, Ajax came within seconds of reaching the Champions League final. Had it not been for the stoppage time heroics of Lucas Moura, they would have faced Liverpool in the most prestigious match in European club soccer. Since then, though, the Amsterdam club has fallen a long way. Those days of continental success are now a distant memory.
Ajax are merely concerned with staying in the Eredivisie this season. At present, they are rooted to the foot of the Dutch top flight on a run of 10 matches in all competitions without a win. Fans are unhappy and have rioted at several matches, most notably during Der Klassiker when the game was suspended.
It’s not just performances and results on the pitch that are concerning. Ajax are a mess in the boardroom too. Edwin van der Sar left as the club’s CEO in May and this came after Marc Overmars resigned as sporting director following allegations of inappropriate messages to female colleagues.
Sven Mislintat was hired as Ajax’s new sporting director in April of this year, but only lasted five months after failing to earn the support of decision-makers within the club. Traditionally, Ajax are a club with a clear and definable identity. This is a club steeped in the values of Johan Cruyff, but none of that is coming through at the moment.
This is the greatest crisis Ajax have suffered in their history and it’s not clear how they can find a way out of trouble. A complete rebuild is needed on and off the pitch, but Ajax must also stave off the unthinkable threat of relegation. They must consider the long-term while also making sure things don’t worsen in the immediate term.
A degree of struggle was expected after Erik ten Hag left Ajax for Manchester United in the summer of 2022 and took two key players with him. Antony and Lisandro Martinez were sold while Sebastien Haller, Ryan Gravenberch and Nicolas Tagliafico also departed. This summer, Mohammed Kudus, Jurrien Timber and Edson Alvarez also moved on.
Ajax collected around €375m for these players, though. They had the funds to rebuild their team, but spurned so much of the money on poor signings. €70m was spent on Steven Bergwijn, Calvin Bassey, Brian Brobbey and Owen Wijndal with Bergwijn the only of this group to have made any sort of impact.
There has been too much change in a short period of time at the Johan Cruyff Arena and Ajax lacked the recruitment strategy to keep themselves competitive at the top of Dutch and European soccer. With ten Hag gone, they couldn’t lean on an experienced manager either to guide them through a difficult spell.
Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven have left Ajax behind over the last two seasons with both rival clubs in the Champions League. Ajax, meanwhile, are in the Europa League this season – and struggling badly having gone group stage matches without a win. A gulf has opened up at the top of Dutch soccer and Ajax are a long way from that level.
Over the decades, Ajax have repeatedly renewed and evolved their team. Ten Hag, for example, coached two different teams during his time in charge of the club – the Ajax side that made the Champions League semi-finals featured the likes of Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt while the team that made the Champions League last 16 two seasons later included players such as Gravenberch, Anthony and Martinez.
This history of renewal gives Ajax hope. This season might be a write off, but the Amsterdam club’s legacy and standing in the global game means there will always be an attraction to playing for them. Ajax have an advantage when it comes to making a sales pitch to prospective signings in the transfer market.
Nonetheless, Ajax can’t afford to make any further missteps. They need a new manager after the sacking of Maurice Steijn and a new sporting director after the departure of Mislintat. That at least gives Ajax the opportunity build something new from the floor up. Right now, though, Ajax have to make sure what is still standing doesn’t crumble to the ground.
