(foto: Posnetek zaslona)
Francesco Farioli has stepped down as Ajax head coach just one day after the Dutch giants lost the Eredivisie title despite holding a nine-point lead with six games to go.
Just 24 hours after Ajax’s dramatic collapse in the Eredivisie title race was confirmed, head coach Francesco Farioli has officially resigned from his role.
Ajax had led PSV Eindhoven by nine points with just six matches remaining, but a disastrous run of defeats and draws saw them squander the title. The final standings placed them second, one point behind PSV, in a campaign that many will remember as one of the club’s most painful failures in recent memory.
Farioli, who became Ajax's first non-Dutch coach since 1998 and the first Italian ever to hold the role, confirmed his resignation in a heartfelt statement shared with the fans.
“Becoming Ajax's first non-native coach since 1998, and the first Italian in this role, was an absolute honour,” he wrote. “I took on this challenge with respect, responsibility, passion, and determination to succeed. Gaining the support of the Ajax fans throughout the season meant a lot to us.”
While Farioli noted that he and the club's management shared the same goals for Ajax’s future, he admitted there were “different visions and timeframes” about how to reach them.
“Because of these differences in principles and the foundations of the project, I feel in my heart that this is the right moment for us to part ways,” he added.
Farioli joined Ajax last summer after a strong stint at French side OGC Nice. His time in Amsterdam was filled with ups and downs, but the way the season ended is likely to overshadow the progress made during earlier parts of the campaign.