Ajax dismisses interim manager Heitinga
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Days after chief executive Edwin van der Sar departed the club, Ajax has fired interim manager Johnny Heitinga.
Heitinga, 39, took over the helm of the club in February after the firing of Alfred Schreuder, who had been hired following Erik ten Hag's departure for Manchester United last summer.
"John got on board to help the club in a difficult time, and he did that full of dedication," director of football Sven Mislintat said in a statement. "We are very grateful for that."
Ajax finished third in Eredivisie, their worst league finish since 2009, and will not play in Champions League next season.
Heitinga had been serving as the manager of Ajax's reserve team for the past two seasons prior to the promotion and had been involved in the club's coaching setup since his retirement in 2016.
A centre-back in his playing days, Heitinga played 15 pro seasons with Ajax, Atletico, Everton, Fulham and Hertha. Internationally, he was capped 87 times by the Netherlands and appeared at two World Cups.=