When Ajax Amsterdam fired head coach John Heitinga at 3:45 PM CET on November 6, 2025, it wasn’t just a managerial change—it was a full-scale implosion. The decision came just hours after a 3-0 home thrashing by Galatasaray A.Ş. at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, leaving Ajax with zero points from four UEFA Champions League matches and a goal difference of -10. The club, once a European powerhouse, now sits dead last in its group. And while their Eredivisie record looks strong—9 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss—no one at the club believes the domestic success can paper over the rot in Europe. This wasn’t a slow burn. It was a fire alarm with no reset button.
How It All Unraveled
Heitinga, 41, was hired on July 1, 2025, after serving as Arne Slot’s assistant at Liverpool Football Club. His four-year, €2.8 million-a-year contract was meant to signal stability. Instead, it became a symbol of misjudgment. In four Champions League games, Ajax scored zero goals. Against Galatasaray, Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen completed a hat-trick in front of 55,865 stunned fans. The home crowd didn’t boo—they just went silent. That silence, club insiders say, was louder than any chant.
Technical director Alex Kroes, who had overseen Heitinga’s hiring, didn’t mince words during his 2:00 PM press conference. “We’ve seen too little progress,” he said. “We’ve unnecessarily dropped points. We gave him time. We ran out of it.” The timing was brutal: Kroes had submitted his own resignation at 11:30 AM that same day, citing “personal responsibility.” The Board, fearing a leadership vacuum, begged him to stay. He agreed—but only until June 15, 2026, the end of the season. That’s not a compromise. It’s a countdown.
The Domino Effect
Heitinga wasn’t the only one gone. Assistant coach Marcel Keizer, who’d been with him since July, also departed immediately. That left the first team without a manager for their next match—against NEC Nijmegen on November 10. Enter Fred Grim, 58, the long-time youth academy boss. Grim’s salary? €420,000 a year. He’s never managed a senior team in a high-stakes game. But he knows Ajax’s DNA. He coached the U19s to the UEFA Youth League semifinals last year. “He’s one of us,” said one veteran player anonymously. “He doesn’t talk tactics—he talks pride.”
The Board has allocated €5 million to find a permanent replacement—someone who can fix the defense, restore confidence, and, crucially, qualify for the Europa League. The target? January 15, 2026. That’s barely six weeks before the January transfer window opens. No one believes they’ll land a top-tier name by then. The market is thin. The risk is high. And the clock is ticking.
Financial Fallout
The numbers don’t lie. Ajax’s stock on Euronext Amsterdam dropped 4.7% after hours on November 6, wiping out €18.9 million in market value. Analysts at ING Group Netherlands now warn that commercial revenue for the 2025-26 season—projected at €112 million—could fall by 7% to 9% due to lost Champions League exposure. Sponsorships, merchandise, and broadcast rights are all tied to European success. Without it, the club’s €285 million annual budget becomes a balancing act between survival and ambition.
The Board has called an extraordinary general meeting for November 20, 2025, at the Johan Cruijff ArenA. Shareholders aren’t just asking about tactics. They’re asking: “Where’s the long-term vision?” “Why did we trust a coach who never managed a top-flight team before?” “Is this another cycle of short-term panic?” The answers won’t come from a press release. They’ll come from who Ajax hires next.
What’s Next?
Ajax’s next two fixtures are brutal. November 10: NEC Nijmegen at home. November 26: Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu. The Madrid match might as well be a funeral. Real Madrid, the most successful club in Champions League history, are currently top of their group. Ajax? They’ve conceded 10 goals in four games. No clean sheet. No hope.
But here’s the twist: Ajax’s youth system is still the best in Europe. Their academy produced De Jong, De Ligt, and Van Dijk. If Grim can give the next generation a platform—play them, trust them, even if they lose—this might become a rebirth instead of a collapse. The question isn’t whether Ajax can survive. It’s whether they’ll remember who they are.
Background: The Ajax Paradox
Ajax has a history of dramatic coaching changes. In 2017, they fired Peter Bosz after just one season, even though they reached the Champions League semifinals. In 2021, Erik ten Hag was let go after winning the Eredivisie—because he didn’t win Europe. The club’s identity is built on attacking football, youth development, and European glory. But in recent years, they’ve struggled to reconcile that ideal with the financial and tactical realities of modern football. They keep hiring coaches from the Premier League—Slot, Heitinga—and then panic when results don’t mirror Anfield or the Etihad.
What’s different this time? The Champions League collapse is total. Zero points. Zero goals. No escape route. And for a club that once defined European football, that’s not just a setback—it’s a crisis of identity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was John Heitinga fired despite Ajax being strong in the Eredivisie?
Ajax’s board views Champions League performance as non-negotiable for financial and cultural survival. Even with a 29-point record in the Eredivisie, the club’s revenue, sponsorships, and global brand depend on European competition. Four straight losses, zero goals scored, and a -10 goal difference signaled a systemic failure in tactics and leadership that couldn’t be ignored, regardless of domestic form.
Who is Fred Grim, and why was he chosen as interim coach?
Fred Grim, 58, has led Ajax’s youth academy since June 2024 and is deeply respected within the club for his connection to its philosophy. He’s never managed the senior team in a competitive match, but he’s coached future stars like Xavi Simons and Brian Brobbey. The Board chose him for continuity, not ambition—he’s seen as a caretaker who can stabilize the team while they search for a permanent manager.
What impact does this have on Ajax’s transfer strategy?
Without Champions League qualification, Ajax loses its primary selling point to top talent. Players like Mohamed Ihattaren and Dusan Tadic may seek exits. The €5 million search budget is meant to attract a manager who can rebuild quickly, but without European football, attracting elite signings becomes nearly impossible. The club may now focus on loan deals and academy promotions instead of expensive transfers.
Is Alex Kroes really staying until June 2026?
Kroes has agreed to stay only if no new technical director is appointed before June 15, 2026. His resignation was rejected by the Board, but he made it clear he won’t be a placeholder. He’s likely waiting for the next coach to be hired—then he’ll exit cleanly. His future is tied to the club’s ability to recover its identity, not just its results.
Can Ajax recover from this collapse?
Yes—but only if they stop chasing quick fixes. Ajax’s strength has always been its youth system and playing philosophy. If they use this crisis to rebuild from within, give young players freedom, and hire a coach who believes in their DNA—not someone who copies Premier League tactics—they can return. But if they panic again and bring in another outsider, the cycle will repeat. This is a test of their soul, not just their squad.
