Van Basten out as coach at Ajax

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THE HAGUE, May 6, 2009 (AFP) - Marco van Basten has stood down as coach of Ajax after failing to guide the Dutch giants into next year's Champions League, the club announced Wednesday on its website.

The former star striker for the Dutch national side "had reached the conclusion that he had failed to achieve the goals he had set at the start of the season and that he would be unable to do any better next season," a club statement said.

The 44-year-old took over at his former club last July after being Dutch national coach for four years, notably at the 2006 World Cup finals and Euro 2008.

The four-time European club champions are currently lying third in the Dutch first division behind unfashionable AZ Alkmaar and FC Twente and with just one game to go cannot grab one of the two spots available for next season's Champions League.

The final straw was a 4-0 defeat away at lowly Sparta Rotterdam last weekend.

Their last game of the season on Sunday against FC Twente will see assistant coach John van't Schip in charge on an interim basis.

Having guided Holland to the quarter-finals of Euro 2008 and overseen eye-catching victories over world champions Italy and France in the group stages, Van Basten struggled with the transition to club management.

The arrival of the triple European Footballer of the Year in Amsterdam last summer sparked expectation of an imminent revival in the club's fortunes, but Van Basten's debut season quickly turned into a disaster.

Ajax were knocked out of the Dutch Cup in the third round by Volendam and have suffered heavy league defeats at the hands of Heerenveen (5-2), Vitesse Arnhem (4-1), PSV Eindhoven (6-2) and Sparta Rotterdam.

Despite his legendary status at the club where he made his name, Van Basten has frequently been the target of protests from the very supporters who used to idolise him.

On Sunday the club's general director, Rik van den Boog, spoke out in support of his beleaguered coach, saying "Ajax needs stability", while Van Basten admitted that he "was partly responsible" for the team's results but asked for "a second chance" to remain at the helm.

By Wednesday, though, his resolve had weakened and, in the face of continued criticism from both supporters and the media, he chose to walk away from a contract that still had three years left to run.

Ajax have yet to name Van Basten's successor, but Van't Schip, former Ajax coach Co Adriaanse and ex-Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard have all been linked with the position.