Let’s unpack the story of Maurice Steijn—a coach who arrived with promise and left amid chaos.
Born on November 20, 1973, in The Hague, Maurice Steijn enjoyed a modest playing career. A tenacious midfielder, he spent the bulk of his time at ADO Den Haag, a club closely tied to his roots. His style? Gritty, disciplined, and team-oriented.
After retiring, Steijn remained close to the game. He seamlessly transitioned into coaching, first taking charge of youth squads before earning his stripes with senior teams.
His playing days didn’t earn headlines, but they laid the groundwork for a pragmatic, grounded managerial approach.
Steijn’s rise as a coach was steady rather than spectacular. He managed ADO Den Haag and VVV-Venlo with limited resources but overachieved in both roles. At VVV, he kept the team in the Eredivisie for three seasons, earning praise for his man-management and tactical awareness.
A brief stint at Al Wahda in the UAE followed, before he returned to Dutch football with Sparta Rotterdam. There, he impressed by guiding the team to European playoff contention. His success at Sparta made him a compelling candidate for a top job.
In June 2023, Ajax—desperate for stability and local know-how—turned to Steijn.
When Steijn was unveiled as Ajax manager, many fans were surprised. He lacked experience at the highest level and had never managed a top-three Dutch club. Yet, the board saw in him a coach who understood Dutch football, respected youth development, and could steady the ship.
After a chaotic 2022-23 campaign and mounting criticism over the club’s direction, Ajax hoped Steijn would bring calm.
He promised balance, discipline, and team cohesion. But early warning signs appeared almost immediately.
One of the biggest challenges Steijn faced was a deeply unbalanced squad. During the summer transfer window, Ajax brought in over a dozen new players—many of them unproven or unfamiliar with Dutch football.
The recruitment strategy appeared confused. Steijn reportedly had little say in many of the signings, leading to friction between coaching staff and technical leadership.
As the season began, it became clear the new team lacked chemistry, leadership, and identity.
On the pitch, Steijn tried to implement a pragmatic style. He favored compact defending, quick transitions, and direct attacking. But Ajax fans, used to possession-based dominance, were unimpressed.
Worse, results were disastrous. The team looked disjointed, often failing to create chances while conceding sloppy goals. Questions mounted: Was Steijn out of his depth? Or was he handed an impossible job?
By October 2023, Ajax found themselves near the bottom of the Eredivisie table—a position almost unthinkable for the club.
The pressure reached boiling point in October. A 4–3 loss to FC Utrecht—Ajax’s fourth straight league defeat—was the final straw. Two days later, on October 23, 2023, Maurice Steijn left the club by mutual agreement.
In total, he oversaw just 11 official matches, winning two. The collapse was swift and brutal.
Though many fans blamed the board and recruitment team as much as the coach, Steijn became the face of the failure.
Steijn’s time at Ajax ended in turmoil, but the damage extended beyond results. The club’s reputation took a hit, and the fans’ trust in leadership was shaken.
In the months following his departure, Ajax began rebuilding under new management. Internal investigations were launched, and structural reforms were promised.
As for Steijn, his next step remains unclear. Some believe he’ll return to a mid-table Eredivisie side, while others think he may take time away from the game.
Maurice Steijn’s tenure at Ajax was a perfect storm of poor timing, miscommunication, and mismatched expectations. He wasn’t ready for the scale of the job—and the club wasn’t ready to support him properly.
Still, it’s unfair to place the blame solely on his shoulders. His track record before Ajax showed promise. But the demands of managing a club like Ajax—especially in crisis—can overwhelm even seasoned veterans.
In many ways, Steijn’s story is a warning: Ajax needs more than just a coach. It needs a unified vision.
While Steijn’s chapter was brief, it revealed cracks in Ajax’s foundation. It showed what happens when recruitment, coaching, and leadership are out of sync.
Sometimes, failure teaches more than success. And though his time in Amsterdam ended in disappointment, Maurice Steijn remains a coach with lessons to offer—and perhaps, one day, something to prove.
Curious to dive deeper into the history, managers, and philosophy of AFC Ajax? Don’t miss our full Club Guide:
👉 The Ultimate AFC Ajax Club Guide
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