Soccer-Van Gaal returns to struggling Ajax as adviser

AFC Ajax NV

03/10/2023 21:08

AMSTERDAM, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Ajax Amsterdam have hired
their former head coach Louis van Gaal as an adviser, the Dutch
club said on Tuesday, as they look to end a string of
disappointing results.
    Ajax are in 15th place in the 18-team Eredivisie table, and
have not won a match since the opening weekend, despite spending
over 100 million euros ($104.71 million) on new players in the
close-season.
    Ajax finished third last season and failed to qualify for
the Champions League for the first time in 13 seasons.
    Van Gaal, 72, won three league championships and the 1995
Champions League as head coach of the Amsterdam side between
1991 and 1997. 
    "I want to help Ajax, I'd like to bring in my football
knowledge," Van Gaal said in a statement. "We must find the way
up again."
    Last week, Ajax fired their director of football Sven
Mislintat, who had only been appointed in May, in a bid to quell
 unrest in and around the club due to their disappointing
results.
    Mislintat's dismissal came hours after their home game
against Feyenoord had to be abandoned when fans started rioting
as Ajax went 3-0 down. 
    Ajax ultimately lost the match 4-0 when the remainder was
played last Wednesday. 
    Ajax's away match against RKC Waalwijk last Saturday was
also abandoned a few minutes from time, after RKC goalkeeper
Etienne Vaessen was knocked out in a clash with an opposing
player - with Ajax leading 3-2.
    During a 30-year career as a coach, Van Gaal also managed
Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United and finished
third with the Dutch national team at the 2014 World Cup.


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 (Reporting by Bart Meijer
Editing by Toby Davis)
 ((Bart.Meijer@thomsonreuters.com;))