Johan Cruyff set to implement 'technical revolution' at Ajax

Ajax and Dutch legend Johan Cruyff (Getty Images)

Johan Cruyff, after consultation with Ajax, quit his role as a member of the supervisory board, but will take on a new position at the club where he can carry out his 'technical revolution.'

Cruyff has been at the center of a long-running feud with club directors and fellow supervisory board members. Cruyff won a court battle in February overturning the appointments of Louis van Gaal and Martin Sturkenboom against his wishes. The supervisory board quit after losing the case, and Cruyff eventually resigned yesterday with an agreement in place for choosing a new board.

Ajax said in a statement that Cruyff will "remain involved with the implementation of his football vision within the club."

A new supervisory board will be appointed whilst Ajax and Cruyff will discuss his new role.

Cruyff was recently appointed as an advisor at Mexican club Chivas.

The entire supervisory board - Edgar Davids, Steven ten Have, Paul Romer and Marjan Olfers - had already resigned from the club before Cruyff, following a Dutch appeals court decision to uphold an original ruling in December that prevented Van Gaal and Sturkenboom from being appointed directors at Ajax.

Cruyff's appointees, including Dennis Bergkamp – now assistant manager – and Wim Jonk and a number of coaches including Fred Grim, Ronald de Boer and John Bosman, will remain.

The long-running dispute between Cruyff and the four other members of the Ajax supervisory board (who run the club after the board of directors resigned in protest at Cruyff’s original plans), escalated in November as Cruyff was accused of racism by Ten Have against fellow supervisory board member Davids.

Cruyff rejoined the board last February after starting his revolution by criticising his former club on a number of occasions in his weekly newspaper column for De Telegraaf, culminating in a piece headlined “This is not Ajax anymore.”

Ajax chairman Uri Coronel, directors Cor van Eijden and Joop Krant resigned last March over their dispute with Cruyff whilst also giving up their roles on Ajax’s supervisory board.

@Majid_Mohamed