Johan Cruijff pulls out of Ajax advisory role

Former Dutch international Johan Cruijff has pulled out of his role as advisor to Amsterdam football club Ajax, saying officials have been ignoring his recommendations for years.

‘I get the feeling this is happening deliberately and I am not in it to play games,’ Cruijff said in his weekly column for the Telegraaf newspaper.

The former Ajax player is a leading exponent of the Dutch football philosophy known as ‘total football’ and his coaching philosophy is said to have laid the groundwork for Ajax’ successes in the 1990s.

Cruijff, who now lives in Spain, was diagnosed with lung cancer last month.

In his column he criticised a number of Ajax board members, including Hans Wijers, chairman of the supervisory board, who is now standing down. Cruijff also said he is disappointed in Leo van Wijk who is set to take over from Wijers.

Cruijff said he hoped a way would be found to let ‘Ajax be Ajax’ again. One option, he said, would be to buy back all the club’s shares. Ajax is the Netherlands only listed football club.