Ajax name Oscar Garcia to succeed Grim as coach

Four-time European champions Ajax named Oscar Garcia as their new coach on Sunday, demoting Fred Grim back to his previous role with the club’s academy.

Grim was only promoted to the first team following the sacking of John Heitinga in November after just six months in the job.

“Fred and I had a conversation today about what is best for the club. Together we agreed that something needs to change,” said Ajax technical director Jordi Cruyff, who was only appointed to the role in January.

Garcia, who has been promoted from coaching Ajax’s youth team, is a former manager of Brighton in England and won league titles with Israelis Maccabi Tel Aviv and Austrians RB Salzburg.

“Oscar will see out the season. The coming months are very important for the club,” added Cruyff.

The 36-time Dutch champions have been in turmoil for years, having last won the league in 2022.

They currently sit fifth in the table, five points behind second-placed Feyenoord in the last direct qualification spot for the league phase of the Champions League.

The Amsterdam-based club is still recovering from an extraordinary end to last season that saw them throw away the title from a seemingly impregnable position.

With only five matches to play, Ajax were nine points clear and seemingly cruising to the title.

But Ajax somehow contrived to hand the title to PSV Eindhoven, losing twice and drawing twice.

The season before, Ajax had suffered their worst-ever start to a campaign, at one point propping up the Eredivisie table.