Amsterdam – Football earthquake in the Netherlands at record champions Ajax Amsterdam.
Football director Marc Overmars (48) resigned from Dutch champions Ajax on Sunday with immediate effect.
The reason: “A series of inappropriate messages that he sent to several female colleagues over a long period of time,” the club said in a press release.
Overmars himself says: “I’m ashamed. Last week I was confronted with reports about my behavior. And how that affected others. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize that I’d crossed a line with that, but that’s been made clear to me in the past few days. I suddenly felt enormous pressure. I apologize for that.”
Foto: Getty Images
” data-zoom-src=”https://bilder.bild.de/fotos/marc-overmars-spielte-in-der-premier-league-fuer-arsenal-here-he-meets-on-10-january- 1998-versus-leeds-7397bf8bf5ba42898d6d0da00d0dec04-79065716/image/3.image.jpg”/> Marc Overmars played for Arsenal in the Premier League, scoring against Leeds United on 10 January 1998Foto: Getty Images
Last week he was confronted by the club with the allegations. After that, he had already apologized for the inappropriate messages.
Overmars: “Certainly this behavior is unacceptable for someone in my position. I can see that now. But it’s too late. I see no other option but to leave Ajax. This also has a major impact on my private situation. So I ask everyone to leave me and my family alone.”
Overmars played for Ajax, Arsenal, Barcelona and the Netherlands (86 games, 17 goals) as a winger. He has been director of football affairs at Ajax since the summer of 2012.
With him, the club made more than 300 million euros in profits on the transfer market, according to the newspaper De Telegraaf, and Ajax found themselves among the top European players. Overmars recently extended his contract until mid-2026. He worked closely with Erik ten Hag (52), who came to Amsterdam through his intercession.
Foto: Getty Images Sport/Getty Images
“data-zoom-src=”https://bilder.bild.de/fotos/hier-traf-overmars-1999-fuer-arsenal-im-fa-cup-VS-highbury-a31098d1429e439299f9245d51fa796b-79065720/Bild/3. image.jpg”/> It was here that Overmars scored for Arsenal in the FA Cup against Highbury in 1999Foto: Getty Images Sport/Getty Images
Chairman of the board Leen Meijaard described his behavior as “extremely painful for everyone. It’s devastating for the women who have had to deal with this behavior,” Meijaard said.
“I think the situation is terrible for everyone,” said general director Edwin van der Sar (51) in a press release. As a goalkeeper, he was already a team-mate for Overmars when he was a national team player. “In my role, I also feel responsible for helping my colleagues. A safe working environment is very important for everyone at Ajax.”
Overmars recently extended his contract with Ajax until June 2026. “It has now come to a very abrupt end,” said van der Sar. We are working on something very beautiful here at Ajax, so this news is also a blow to everyone who cares about Ajax.”
