The Fall of Ajax
How a model football club lost its way.
For decades, Ajax represented the ideal football club. Built on a philosophy of youth development, technical excellence and attacking football, the Amsterdam giants became one of Europe’s most respected institutions. From the 70’s Johan Cruyff era when they won three consecutive European Cups, through to the mid-90’s when they were crowned European champions under Louis Van Gaal, and more recently the thrilling 2018–19 Champions League run under Erik ten Hag , Ajax appeared to have discovered the perfect repeatable balance between tradition and modern success.
Yet in recent years, the club has fallen into chaos. Poor recruitment, managerial instability, boardroom drama and declining performances have left supporters asking one question: what exactly has happened at Ajax?
The collapse has not come from one single issue. Instead, several problems on and off the pitch have combined to create one of the most dramatic declines in European football.
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1. The Loss of Stability After Erik ten Hag
The departure of Erik ten Hag in 2022 marked the beginning of Ajax’s recent decline. During his tenure, Ajax played fearless football with a youthful and dynamic side that dominated domestically and reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2019. More importantly, there was a clear structure and strategy throughout the club.
When Ten Hag left for Manchester United, Ajax struggled to replace not only the coach, but the leadership and tactical identity he represented. The club cycled through managers without establishing a long-term direction. Alfred Schreuder failed to maintain standards, Maurice Steijn tenure was short lived, Francesco Farioli struggled with the club’s structure and long-term strategy, and John Heitinga failed to inspire any form of direction or long-term consistency. This continued instability and uncertainty has led to disjointed performances both on and off the pitch, and for a side that had always been known for continuity and patience, suddenly they look reactive, chaotic and disorganised.
2. Recruitment Failures and Poor Spending
One of the biggest reasons for Ajax’s struggles has been disastrous recruitment. Historically, Ajax excelled at identifying undervalued talent and developing young players into stars. Recently, however, expensive transfers have failed to deliver.
After earning huge fees from players such as Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt, Antony and Lisandro Martínez, Ajax spent heavily to rebuild the squad. But many signings looked poorly planned and lacked the technical quality traditionally associated with the club.
Instead of recruiting players who suited Ajax’s possession-based philosophy, the club appeared to chase quick fixes that simply failed to make an impact - Steven Bergwijn, Chuba Akpom, Wout Weghorst, Georges Mikautadze, Jordan Henderson - all struggling to deliver and ultimately a far cry from Ajax stars of yesteryear. Some arrivals struggled physically with Dutch football, while others simply did not fit the tactical system. The result has been an unbalanced squad with little chemistry or leadership.
3. Abandoning the Ajax Identity
Perhaps the most worrying issue for supporters has been the loss of identity. Ajax has always stood for a specific style of football: attacking play, youth development, positional intelligence, and technical brilliance.
In recent seasons, that identity has faded. Performances became cautious, inconsistent, and tactically confused. Younger academy players were no longer trusted in the same way, while experienced signings often blocked pathways into the first team.
The club’s famous academy, De Toekomst, remains one of the best in the world, but the connection between the academy and senior team has weakened. Ajax built its reputation by developing players who understood the club’s philosophy from childhood. Moving away from that model has damaged both performances and morale.
When Ajax lose their footballing identity, they stop being Ajax.
4. Boardroom Chaos and Internal Conflict
Problems off the pitch have been equally destructive. Ajax experienced major instability at executive level, with disagreements over recruitment strategy, sporting direction, and leadership appointments.
While Marc Overmars oversaw a largely successful period of recruitment and development during the 2010s, his departure in dubious circumstances marked a visible decline in the quality and success not only of Ajax’s internal progression system but also their external transfer activity. Adding to this, the controversy surrounding Sven Mislintat’s recruitment decisions highlighted deeper structural issues within the club. Questions were raised about transparency, communication, and whether there was a coherent long-term plan. At times, Ajax looked like a club fighting internal battles rather than focusing on football.
This instability filtered directly onto the pitch. Players lacked confidence, managers lacked authority, and supporters lost faith in the leadership.
5. The Pressure of Modern Football
Ajax also face a broader challenge that affects many clubs outside Europe’s richest leagues. Financially, competing with the Premier League has become almost impossible.
Whenever Ajax develop world-class players, they are quickly sold to wealthier clubs. This has always happened to some extent, but the financial gap has grown dramatically in recent years. Clubs from England can now spend enormous sums on transfer fees and wages that Ajax simply cannot match, clearly illustrated through key player departures leaving for mid-lower Premier League sides - Brian Brobbey to Sunderland, Mohammed Kudus to West Ham, Calvin Bassey to Fulham - all signs that Ajax can no longer keep up and stay competitive from a player remuneration and retention perspective.
As a result, Ajax constantly have to rebuild. In the past, the club managed this cycle brilliantly, keeping players long enough to get the most out of them before selling at the maximum price point. Recently, however, the turnover has become too extreme, with too many key players leaving at once and replacements failing to reach the required level.
The modern football economy has made sustainable success increasingly difficult for clubs like Ajax.
Ajax’s decline cannot be explained by one bad season or one poor manager. It is the result of multiple failures across the club: instability after Erik ten Hag’s departure, poor recruitment, the erosion of the Ajax identity, boardroom conflict, and the growing financial imbalance in European football.
Despite these problems, Ajax still possess enormous strengths. The academy remains elite, the club’s history is unmatched in Dutch football, and the fanbase continues to demand high standards. But recovery will require patience, smarter leadership and a return to the principles that made Ajax famous in the first place.
For generations, Ajax were admired because they stood for something bigger than winning trophies. The challenge now is not simply to become successful again — it is to rediscover what Ajax truly are.
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Ajax declined when they abandoned the framework that made them elite. Recruitment moved from long-term fit to short-term reaction, and the club is losing the clarity and consistency that once defined it.