Ajax in crisis: Managerless Amsterdam club second from bottom in Eredivisie after worst ever start to season

Ajax are enduring their worst run since the introduction of professional football to the Netherlands in 1954; club are 17th in Eredivisie and sacked Maurice Steijn this week; Hedwiges Maduro has been appointed caretaker, starting with Thursday's trip to Brighton

@Ben_Islington

Tuesday 24 October 2023 13:10, UK

Ajax Amsterdam have never experienced a crisis quite like this.

For the four-time European champions, being second in the Eredivisie is cause for consternation: as it was back in late 2017 when Erik ten Hag was appointed to replace Marcel Keizer following their Dutch Cup exit at the hands of Twente Enschede.

Hopes of a domestic double ended before Christmas, and second in the Dutch championship — five points behind PSV Eindhoven — that was deemed a sackable offence.

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Ten Hag would restore Ajax in the hearts and minds of footballing purists. The club's DNA ran through his Ajax team, and took them to the heights of a Champions League semi-final in 2019. It took him to Manchester United.

There was a 13-0 win over VVV-Venlo on this very day — October 24 — two years ago. It was Total Football.

What would Johan Cruyff be thinking of the mess that is currently engulfing his ArenA?

The 36-time Dutch champions are now in need of a total overhaul. Director of football Sven Mislintat has been fired, but calls for the board to step down have fallen on deaf ears.

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Sunday's 4-3 defeat at Utrecht left the Dutch giants sitting one point off the bottom of the table with just one win from their first seven games.

It was especially damaging given it was against one of the few sides beneath