Ajax sack coach John Heitinga after poor Champions League run, appointing Fred Grim as caretaker manager.
Ajax have dismissed head coach John Heitinga following a disastrous Champions League campaign that saw the Dutch giants lose all three of their group matches.
In a statement, the club confirmed that Fred Grim will take temporary charge while they begin the search for a new manager.
Heitinga, who signed a two-year deal in May, failed to spark any meaningful turnaround in Ajax’s form. The club announced that his contract would be terminated immediately.
Technical director Alex Kroes described the move as a “painful decision,” acknowledging the club’s struggles since undergoing major squad changes.
“We know it takes time for a new coach to settle with a changing team,” Kroes said. “But after careful consideration, we believe it’s best to move in a new direction.”
Kroes also revealed that he had offered to resign, but the board asked him to stay on to maintain stability. He is expected to remain until the end of the season or until a new technical director is appointed.
The final straw came after a 3-0 home defeat to Galatasaray, which followed a 5-1 loss to Chelsea, a 4-0 defeat to Marseille, and a 2-0 fall to Inter Milan—a brutal run that left Ajax with zero points, one goal scored, and 14 conceded in Europe.
Domestically, Ajax sit fourth in the Eredivisie, eight points adrift of Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven. Fans have been openly critical of Heitinga’s tactics, especially after his controversial substitutions during the Chelsea match.
It’s another tough chapter for the Amsterdam-based club, which is still reeling from last season’s collapse that cost them the league title despite holding a nine-point lead with five matches left.
Heitinga, a former defender who played for Atletico Madrid, Everton, and Fulham, retired in 2016 after returning to Ajax. He earned 87 caps for the Netherlands, famously sent off in the 2010 World Cup final against Spain.
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