Erik ten Hag declines return as Ajax manager amid club uncertainty
Erik ten Hag has rejected the opportunity to become the next manager of Ajax. The 55-year-old, who had significant success with the club in the past as manager, has decided against replacing John Heitinga after several discussions with the Technical Director Alex Kroes, AD has reported.
Kroes offered his resignation last week after making the decision to fire Heitinga. According to AD, the uncertainty of several executive positions within the club is one of the reasons that Ten Hag has opted against a return.
It had been reported early in the negotiations that Ten Hag was hesitant to return to management at this stage after he had been sacked as manager of German club Bayer Leverkusen after just three games this season.
Ten Hag had joined Leverkusen after getting sacked by Manchester United, where he won the EFL Cup and the FA Cup. His first spell at Ajax was one of the most successful spells for the club since the turn of the century. Ten Hag won three Eredivisie titles, two KNVB Cups, and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, coming within seconds of reaching the final.
Ajax are currently in fourth place in the Eredivisie and are at the bottom of the 36-team UEFA Champions League. The Amsterdammers lost their first game since sacking Heitinga on Sunday, when they were beaten 2-1 by FC Utrecht under interim manager Fred Grim.
There have been a few rumors of other managerial targets as of yet. Frank de Boer has been linked to a return to the club, and Paul Simonis, who was sacked a few days ago by German club VFL Wolfsburg, has also been linked to the managerial spot.
It is currently the international break, meaning that Ajax have no game this weekend, giving the board a chance to hold talks with potential managerial candidates. Reports claim that the board is targeting a permanent managerial appointment, rather than an interim manager.
