After taking the team to a 5th place Bundesliga finish and UEFA Cup Semi - Final appearance after less than a year on charge, Hamburg officials have acknowledged that Martin Jol has left the team and taken over at Ajax on a 3 year deal.

Via TheGuardian 

“Ajax gives me a great opportunity, with an eye for the long term,” he said. “I get a very wide array of responsibilities. Ajax is a fantastic club and I very much want to get started. I enjoyed my stay at HSV. It’s a great club and Hamburg is a nice city to live and work in. I have in recent years worked abroad and once again return to the Netherlands, so I very much look forward to this.”

Ajax’s chief executive Rick van den Boog was equally delighted with the appointment. “It is the most important position in a football club, so we gave it very careful consideration,” he said. “Martin has all the qualities the new coach of Ajax in our view should have.

“He is experienced and has experience both domestically and abroad. He has worked in large and smaller clubs and got the maximum from his players. He is a trainer who has shown that he gives talented young players a chance – our basic interest. I am very pleased with the way we have worked to achieve this. It was an exciting and challenging period, with an excellent result for Ajax.”

The 53-year-old succeeds Marco van Basten, who resigned with one game of the Eredivisie season remaining after missing out on a Champions League spot.

Image via Metro