Ajax makes interim manager change after FC Groningen loss; Oscar Garcia to lead team
Ajax has made an interim manager change. Following their 3-1 loss against FC Groningen yesterday, the Amsterdam club has announced that Oscar Garcia, who was hired by the club’s new director of football Jordi Cruijff to manage the youth team, will be managing the first team until the end of the season. Fred Grim, who took over earlier this season, will return to his former position as manager of the youth side.
The Amsterdammers are currently fifth in the Eredivisie table, having won one out of their last five league games. Garcia became the youth team’s manager on February 10. He lost two, won two, and drew one of his five games in charge of the side that plays in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football.
Garcia has a lengthy but unimpressive CV as a manager. He won the Austrian league title on two occasions with Red Bull Salzburg and won the Israeli league title with Maccabi Tel Aviv. The rest of his managerial career followed less impressive jobs at Olympiacos, Celta de Vigo, and Stade Reims.
“Fred and I discussed the club’s situation today and agreed that a change is needed. He took charge at a difficult moment and gave his all, for which we are very grateful. Oscar will finish the season in charge. The next few months are crucial for the club. With 8 matches remaining, we must work together to get the best possible results,” Cruijff said on Ajax’s website.
Ajax are in danger of missing out on second place after another disappointing weekend. The Amsterdammers were comfortably beaten by FC Groningen on Saturday in the Euroborg. The score finished 3-1 for the home side, who had lost their last six games prior to this.
Ajax trail FC Twente, NEC Nijmegen, and Feyenoord in their battle for second place, which guarantees a qualification spot for the UEFA Champions League. However, Feyenoord also has its troubles.
The Rotterdammers, who have also discussed a change of manager this season due to some disappointing results under Robin van Persie, failed to win once more on Sunday against relegation battlers NAC Breda.
Ayase Ueda scored twice, with Luciano Valente scoring the other for Van Persie’s side, but Kamal Sowah, Boyd Lucassen, and Andre Ayew scored for the home side in Breda to ensure that the points were shared.
Despite the draw, NAC dropped into the relegation zone due to a convincing away win by Telstar away to Fortuna Sittard. Heracles, the one side below NAC, also gained a point with a 0-0 draw at home against PEC Zwolle.
