Once one of the giants of European football and an exporter of talent that has left a historic mark, Ajax Amsterdam finds itself mired in one of the deepest crises in its 123-year history, prompting the sacking of one of its senior executives. Its lagging position in fourteenth place in the local league resulted in the sacking of one of its senior officials.

According to Agence France-Presse, protesting the situation caused by the team that has won the Champions League title four times, but the last time before 1995, the fans (Sunday) caused the summit of the sixth stage. The league was halted against its host and rivals Feyenoord, and less than an hour after kick-off, fireworks were set off.

Referee Serdar Kosubuyuk ordered both teams back to the locker rooms for a second time, after which the home team’s fans threw fireworks onto the field.

The referee stopped the match for the first time before the end of the first half for the same reason, before the match was briefly stopped after the trophy was thrown onto the field.

Events broke out outside the stadium, forcing the police to intervene, according to ANB news agency and several local media outlets. Photos posted on social media show that the main entrance to the Johan Cruyff Stadium has been destroyed.

Feyenoord were leading 3-0 when the match was stopped, reflecting the situation experienced by the club that has won the most Dutch league titles (36).

The main headline on the fans’ association’s website read: “The club is on fire”, describing the interruption of the “classic” match against Feyenoord as “a low point in crisis”, the team that introduced the world to legends such as the late Johan Cruyff.

The fans’ anger is understandable; We have to go back to the 1964-1965 season, when Cruyff joined the club’s youth team, to witness a poor start to the season.

Ajax have been content with one win and two draws from five matches to finish 14th, 10 points behind leaders PSV Eindhoven on goal difference against AZ Alkmaar, and a point against Feyenoord who have never tasted defeat in the past two. Best teams.

Amsterdam-based newspaper Hed Parol saw what Ajax presented as a “tactical travesty”, describing some of their defensive displays against Feyenoord as “things you don’t see in the local (amateur) leagues on a Sunday morning”.

Feyenoord’s third goal was particularly embarrassing; Confusion and a defensive misunderstanding saw Mexican Santiago Jimenez dart the length of the field unhindered and pass the ball to Brazilian Igor Baixao.

The NRC newspaper promised that the match “symbolises the existential crisis in which Ajax finds itself”.

In Europe, after qualifying for the group stage, Ajax ended in a 3-3 draw with French club Marseille in the middle of last week, which ended in a 3-3 draw in the Europa League (Europa League). A team that includes the English great Brighton led by its Italian coach Roberto de Gerbi.

“They need a dictator”

Soon after smoke cleared from the Johan Cruyff Arena after fans threw fireworks, the club released a shock statement saying the club’s director of football, Sven Mislindt, had been sacked “with immediate effect”.

The fans’ club commented on the move on its website: “The distressing reports are coming thick and fast,” adding: “There is unrest at the club, not only on the field but also in management. .”

Mislindad has been the subject of an external investigation over possible conflict of interest over a transfer deal worth eight million euros in the final moments of the summer transfer window.

The club denied the sacking had anything to do with the investigation, citing a “wider lack of support within the organisation” as the reason behind the decision, but the announcement itself failed; An initial dry report was hastily changed to thank Misslindad for his “tremendous effort” during his four-month spell at Ajax.

The Dutch press reported extensively on the power struggle at the club.

As the players prepared for the Feyenoord match, Mislindad stormed into the training ground and shouted “ends day” and criticized coach Maurice Steyn was said to be at risk of being sacked if Ajax lost the “Classic” title. match

In the end, it’s Misslinthat who loses her job, but there’s a lot of pressure on Stein to turn things around.

There has been speculation over who could replace him, and club legend Louis van Gaal has ruled himself out, citing his recovery from prostate cancer diagnosed in 2020, saying his health is a priority.

Interim CEO Jan van Halst, one of the targets of angry fans, made no secret that the club was facing a deep crisis: “These are very difficult times.” “If only it were that easy to flip a switch and change things.”

Dutch football expert Jaap Stallenberg told Agence France-Presse: “It’s chaos, absolute chaos,” adding that “they’re struggling everywhere.” Off the field as well. “They need a dictator, a strong leader, to come in and sort things out.”