Arsenal legend Marс Overmars leaves the post of Ajax Director of Football amid scandal
Drama in Ajax – Overmars is leaving because of inappropriate messages to female colleagues – they have lodged a complaint against him. No one knows exactly what happened. Marс was an important part of the club as all the transfer successes are down to him.
The 48-year-old former AFC Ajax standout Marc Overmars, who joined the club’s board of directors after retiring, has left the club for very controversial reasons. This is reported by the Ajax press service on their official website.
It is noted that Overmars took this decision after discussions in recent days with the club’s supervisory board and Ajax CEO Edwin van der Sar. The reason for the decision was a series of inappropriate messages he sent to several female colleagues over an extended period of time.
The Dutchman is remorseful about what happened:
“I am ashamed. Last week I was confronted with reports about my behavior. And how this has come across to others. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize that I was crossing the line with this, but that was made clear to me in recent days. I suddenly felt enormous pressure. I apologize. Certainly for someone in my position, this behavior is unacceptable. I now see that too. But it is too late. I see no other option but to leave Ajax. This also has a major impact on my private situation. That is why I ask everyone to leave me and my family alone.”
Over 10 years at Ajax, Overmars has built a system based on the profitable resale of players.
Marc is just short of his 10-year anniversary as Ajax’s sporting director – he arrived at the Amsterdam club in the summer of 2012. The Dutchman even signed a new contract with the club last December – until 2026.
Overmars was brought to Ajax by the head of the supervisory board, legendary Johan Cruyff. The ‘Great Dutchman’ was unhappy with his home club’s results and gained his appointment to the supervisory board through criticism in the media. Johan appointed Ajax legends Dennis Bergkamp, Davids, van der Sar and de Boer to key positions at the club.
Overmars was appointed as technical director and was tasked to rebuild their transfer system. Cruyff was unhappy with Ajax’s policies: plenty of average legionnaires and few youngsters from the academy. As a result of such a way, Ajax had almost no major sales of Dutch players in the late 2000s and early 2000s ( Wesley Sneijder‘s move to Real Madrid in 2007 for a fee of EUR 27 million being the exception).
“I remember us talking in Johan’s office. He was very upset that the club academy was no longer working efficiently and no longer producing talented players,”
Overmars recalled.
During that time, Mark secured a number of lucrative deals for Ajax. The transfers of Frankie de Jong to Barça (€86m), Matthijs de Ligt to Juve (€85.5m), Davinson Sanchez to Tottenham (€40m), Hakim Ziyech to Chelsea (€40m), and Donny van de Beek to United (€39m) are just some of the big ones. Since 2012, Ajax have only bought players for more than they sold them in two seasons.
After Ajax reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, van der Sar and Overmars have adjusted course slightly – the club is now more willing to buy experienced players and try to retain young talent. That makes Ajax look like a fusion of experience and youth, with Tadic, Bergeys, Allaire and Daley Blind on one side and Anthony, Kudus, Gravenberch and Timber on the other.
This season the club with a huge margin reached the play-offs of the Champions League (they won 6 out of 6 matches with the goal difference 20:5) and fairly leading in the championship (the gap from PSV in the second place is 5 points, goal difference – 64:5)
But, however, it seems that there are mistakes that even valuable staff, such as Overmars, have to pay for.
How does the club explain the incident? Supervisory board chairman Leen Meijaard described Overmars as the best sporting director in the club’s history, but admitted he had gone too far:
“This is a dramatic situation for everyone who is involved in any way. It is devastating for the women who have had to deal with the behavior. When we heard news of this, we immediately acted, carefully deliberating and weighing what was the best thing to do – all in consultation with CEO Edwin van der Sar and assisted by an external expert. Marc is probably the best football director that Ajax has had. We upgraded and extended his contract for a reason. But, unfortunately, he has really gone over the line, so continuing as director was not an option, as he recognized himself. It is extremely painful for everyone. I want to express the wish that everyone involved is given the peace and privacy to process this.”
Club CEO Edwin van der Sar, Man Utd legend, is sorry about that, but Overmars’ resignation is the only way out:
“I find the situation appalling for everyone and I agree with Leen Meijaard’s words. In my role, I also feel responsible to help colleagues. A safe sport- and working climate is very important. We will pay even more attention to this in the near future.”
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