- Former Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has returned to work at Ajax as an advisor
- The Dutch giants are in crisis after a chaotic start to the campaign
- Listen to the latest episode of the ‘Mail Sport’ podcastIt all starts!‘
Ajax has hired former head coach Louis van Gaal as an advisor, the Dutch club announced on Tuesday, as they look to put an end to a series of disappointing results.
The Dutch team sit 15th in the Eredivisie and have not won a match since the opening weekend, despite spending more than £86 million on new players in the pre-season.
Ajax finished third last season and failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in thirteen seasons.
Van Gaal, 72, won three national titles and the 1995 Champions League as head coach of the Amsterdam team between 1991 and 1997.
“I want to help Ajax,” the Dutchman said in a statement on the club’s website.
Former Man United boss Louis van Gaal has rejoined his former club Ajax in an advisory role
The Dutchman vowed to help his side get ‘back to the top’ after a chaotic start to the season
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‘I currently spend a large part of my life in Portugal and this can be easily combined with my role as an external advisor. I am prepared to offer my football knowledge to the Supervisory Board, especially when Leo van Wijk and Michael van Praag are appointed. We have to find the sporting way back to the top and we must all contribute to that.’
Last week, Ajax dismissed football director Sven Mislintat, who had only been appointed in May, in an attempt to quell the unrest in and around the club due to the disappointing results.
Mislintat’s dismissal came hours after their home match against Feyenoord had to be abandoned when fans rioted as Ajax went down 3-0.
Ajax eventually lost the match 4-0 when the remainder was played last Wednesday.
Ajax’s away match against RKC Waalwijk last Saturday was also stopped a few minutes before the end, after RKC goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen was eliminated in a duel with an opponent – with Ajax taking a 3-2 lead.
Van Gaal, who is currently battling prostate cancer, won three titles and the 1995 Champions League title with Ajax between 1991 and 1997
During a 30-year coaching career, Van Gaal also managed Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United and finished third with the Dutch national team at the 2014 World Cup.
Van Gaal’s appointment came after former Ajax midfielder Rafael van der Vaart tipped the veteran manager to return to the club to provide them with guidance despite his current poor health.
Van Gaal announced ahead of last year’s World Cup that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and was secretly receiving treatment so as not to distract from Dutch preparations.
The former Manchester United boss said he has undergone successful treatment but is yet to return to management.
‘His health does not allow him to have a full-time job. So in principle that is a no,” he said last week.
Ajax fans threw flares onto the pitch during their match against Feyenoord, interrupting the match when 3-0 down – before losing the resumed match 4-0
‘But he can certainly give advice. He understands football. In my opinion he is the ideal man to help save Ajax.’
Continuing Ajax’s problems, chief Pier Eringa also resigned from his position last week after six months – just hours before Ajax resumed their abandoned match against Feyenoord.
“Especially when things aren’t going well, I think you should be there as a supervisor,” says Eringa.
‘But I am not deaf to criticism and I am not blind to the situation in which Ajax now finds itself. For that reason I have decided to make room for a new chairman.
‘I fought hard for the club. I will continue to follow Ajax as a fan and hope that Ajax’s sporting successes will soon return to the desired level.’