Ajax Board of Directors Resign Amid Cruyff Conflict

Dutch Eredivisie soccer club Ajax’s board of directors tendered its resignation amid a bitter disagreement with club icon Johan Cruyff about how to return the former European champion to its glory days.

It was confirmed by club chairman Uri Coronel that he and the two other directors of the club will remain in place until replacements can be found, ailment adding that “Cruyff is more important than us.”

Ajax had asked Cruyff, who helped turn the club into a European powerhouse in the 1970s, to form an advisory panel to improve its performance, with club having not won the league title since 2004.

But the club’s chief executive Rik van den Boog refused to carry out all of Cruyff’s recommendations, which reportedly included firing some longtime employees.

Coronel said he backed Van den Boog, and hoped his own resignation would help break the impasse, stating: “This process, especially the continuing unrest around the club, is extraordinarily damaging for Ajax.”