Ajax Amsterdam will have to look for a new head coach for the coming season. John van’t Schip announced his retirement at the end of the season
Van’t Schip announced ahead of Sunday’s visit to PEC Zwolle that he will no longer be available as head coach next season.
Van’t Schip only took over as coach last October. At the time, the club with a long tradition had fallen to the bottom of the table. Under the guidance of the 1988 European champion, Ajax worked their way up to fifth place and now have a chance of competing in the European Cup again – but were embarrassed in the cup at fourth-division side Hercules (2:3) and were eliminated in the round of 16 of the Conference League against Aston Villa (0:0, 0:4).
The Dutch record champions are a long way from continuity. Since the successful era of Erik ten Hags (until June 2022), five coaches – Alfred Schreuder, Johnny Heitinga, Maurice Steijn, interim coach Hedwiges Maduro and van’t Schip – have tried their hand on the sidelines. It has not yet been decided who will be in charge from the summer onwards.
However, it appears that van’t Schip will remain with the club. The ex-professional, who played over 340 competitive matches for Ajax during his playing days, wants to take on a different role after consultation with the club management – he has already held such a position several times in Amsterdam. At the end of the 1990s, he was first active as a youth coach, later also as co- and interim coach.
He has also worked as a coach at Twente Enschede, PEC Zwolle, the Dutch national team (as assistant to Marco van Basten) and in Australia with Melbourne. Most recently, he was national coach of Greece from July 2019 to December 2021
