Ajax fans have been left disheartened by the defending Dutch champions’ run of form this season after the departure of Erik ten Hag to Manchester United.
Ten Hag, who is under contract until 2025 with United, left Ajax after five seasons in charge to succeed interim manager Ralf Rangnick at Old Trafford last summer.
The 52-year-old Dutchman lifted three Eredivisie titles and two Dutch Cups with Ajax after arriving at the club in 2017 from Dutch side Utrecht.
And Ten Hag also engineered Ajax’s magnificent Champions League run in the 2018-19 season, with the Dutch side knocked out in the semi-finals by Tottenham.
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Alfred Schreuder led Club Brugge to the Belgian Pro League title last season before succeeding Ten Hag at Ajax ahead of the current Eredivisie campaign.
However, the Ajax manager has struggled to make an immediate impact in his first season in charge and has left fans worried about the side’s form in recent weeks.
Ajax dropped into the Europa League after Napoli and Liverpool secured a place in the Champions League knockout rounds.
The reigning Dutch champions are also five points off league leaders Feyenoord, with Ajax three points behind second-place AZ Alkmaar.
Ajax rescued a point in their 1-1 draw with Feyenoord on Sunday, with their last win coming against Den Bosch in the Dutch Cup earlier this month.
However, Schreuder’s men haven’t won a league match since before the start of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
“Seeing Ajax in 5th position is something I don’t think I have ever seen before,” one fan said.
Someone else added: “I knew it was bad but not this bad.”
A third posted: “Life without Ten Hag ain’t easy.”
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“I hope Schreuder comes through as another Ajax talented manager, honestly,” another Twitter user wrote.
While a fifth tweeted: “As an honest Ajax fan, we need to trust the process and Schreuder.”
Topics: Ajax, Eredivisie, Netherlands, Football, Erik Ten Hag
Adnan Riaz