Eredivisie club AZ have sacked their coach, Maarten Martens, less than a week after their historic 6-0 Dutch cup win against Ajax.

The club’s director of football, Max Huiberts, said in a statement on the Alkmaar club’s website that he was “strongly convinced there is more potential in this squad than we have seen recently.”

Youth team coach Leeroy Echteld will take charge of the first team for the rest of the season while the club looks to appoint a permanent replacement for Martens.

The 41-year-old Belgian was appointed two years ago following the sacking of Pascal Jansen.

Last year he led AZ to the KNVB cup final, losing to Go Ahead Eagles on penalties, but the team finished fifth in the Eredivisie, missing out on a Europa League qualifying place.

The team are currently lying eighth in the league table, although they have a game in hand on the two teams just above them, Twente Enschede and Sparta. They also reached the knock-out round of the Uefa Conference League, where they will play Armenian champions FC Noah next month.

Martens said in a reply on the club’s website that he was “hugely disappointed” but thanked the club’s fans for their support.

“Although this decision is still fresh, I can look back with a lot of pride and appreciation at the two years that I was able to be head coach of this great club.

“Together with the squad, staff and everyone else involved with the team we worked hard every day to acheive the best possible results. Sadly, this is the end of the line for me.”