Former Liverpool assistant coach John Heitinga has been sacked as Ajax boss after less than six months in charge. The decision could have major ramifications for Liverpool loan duo Vitezslav Jaros and James McConnell, who are currently at the Amsterdam club.
Heitinga was dismissed just a day after Ajax's 3-0 home Champions League defeat to Galatasaray on Wednesday, which left them bottom of the table after four successive losses and prompted the club's main supporters group to call for his removal. Ajax also stand eight points behind Eredivisie leaders Feyenoord and have struggled for form since Heitinga arrived from Liverpool in May.
A statement from Ajax released on Thursday afternoon said: "The head coach’s contract was due to run until June 30, 2027, but will now be terminated. The same applies to assistant coach Marcel Keizer. Ajax is looking for a new head coach; in the meantime, Fred Grim will take over Heitinga’s duties."
Ajax technical director Alex Kroes said: "It's a painful decision. But looking back at the past few months, we must conclude that things have turned out quite differently from what we had envisioned. We’ve seen too little progress and have unnecessarily dropped points." Reports in Holland claim talks have already taken place with Erik ten Hag over a possible return to Ajax.
Heitinga was a strong advocate for the signing of 21-year-old midfielder McConnell, who has started only two games since moving to Holland on a season-long loan in August and was limited to a 12-minute outing from the bench on Wednesday. Jaros, initially first-choice goalkeeper, has been an unused substitute in each of the last four games.
Speaking last month, Heitinga's agent Rob Jansen revealed he had warned his client against returning to Ajax, saying: "I told him: I wouldn’t go to Ajax right now. He wanted to do it based on his ego, his heart, and his feeling for the club. But what he was confronted with was the past, a huge mess within the club."
