Ajax is one of football’s European giants, who have, down the years, played host to some of the best players the beautiful game has ever seen.
The Amsterdam club has also seen some truly legendary coaches in their history. Here are the club’s most successful and influential managers in its history:
Jack Reynolds (1915 to 1925, 1928 to 1940 and 1945 to 1947)
The Englishman was Ajax’s first-ever manager and enjoyed three separate stints as the club boss.
Reynolds had played professional football in his homeland. However, it wasn’t until he moved into management that he made a name for himself in the game.
After coaching in Switzerland with St. Gallen, he moved to the Dutch capital to take charge of Ajax.
In his first spell in charge, Reynolds guided his team to the Eredivisie title on two occasions in seasons 1917/18 and 1918/19, as well as winning the KNVB Cup.
After short spells as the Netherlands boss and as manager of MVV and Blauw Wit, Reynolds returned for a second spell with Ajax in 1925.
His second spell was even more successful, as he helped the Amsterdammers to five Eredivisie titles.
His third spell lasted just two years, but he claimed his eighth and final Dutch top-flight title within those two years.
Reynolds was considered a pioneer of the game. He is acknowledged as one of the first managers to play an early style of what later became ‘Total Football’. He was believed to be a great influence on future Ajax boss, Rinus Michels.
Rinus Michels (1965 to 1971 and 1975 to 1976)
Like Reynolds, Michels is considered by many Ajax fans to be one of the club’s best-ever managers. Influenced by Reynolds’ style of play, he perfected the “Total Football’ style of play in his first spell with the Dutch giants.
During his first period at the club, Michels led the team to four Eredivisie titles, three KNVB Cups and, of course, their first European Cup in the season 1970/71, the first of three straight triumphs in European football’s elite competition.
He left his role as Ajax manager in 1971 and joined up with legendary Ajax star Johan Cruyff for a brief spell at Catalan giants Barcelona until 1974, where he won La Liga in his final season in Catalonia.
His next job was as boss of the Netherlands national team. Michels then led the Oranje to the 1974 World Cup final, only to suffer defeat at the hands of bitter rivals Germany.
Michels’ second spell as Ajax’s boss was a lot less successful, as he failed to win silverware in the 1975/76 campaign and left the club for a second time.
Along with the likes of Reynolds and Cruyff, Michels will always be synonymous with Ajax.
Louis van Gaal (1991 to 1997)
The outspoken boss started his playing career at his home city club but failed to make an appearance in the first team. Instead, making a name for himself as a player at Sparta Rotterdam.
After completing his playing career, Van Gaal returned to the Dutch capital in various backroom roles, including working as the assistant manager and youth coach.
However, he became Ajax boss in his own right in 1991. His managerial career was a trophy-laden one, as in six years, Van Gaal guided the Amsterdammers to four Eredivisie titles, a KNVB Cup and maybe most importantly, the Champions League in 1995.
The Champions League title was their first since the club’s iconic team of the 1970s lifted the trophy in three consecutive seasons. His talented young squad also reached the competition’s final the following season.
In 1997, Van Gaal moved to Barcelona, winning two Spanish top-flight titles. He won his last Eredivisie title with AZ Alkmaar in 2008/09 and the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich in the following season.
Like Michels before him, Van Gaal managed the Netherlands at a World Cup, guiding the Oranje to a third-place finish. During his career, he also enjoyed two other spells in charge of the Oranje.
In 1997, Van Gaal was awarded the Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau. Many saw him as one of his generation’s best tacticians.
Frank de Boer (2010-2016)
De Boer is a modern-day Ajax legend and one of the few people who enjoyed a successful playing and managerial career with the Amsterdammers.
He spent 11 years playing for the club from the Dutch capital, winning the Dutch title five times and the Champions League once.
In 2010, he left his role as assistant manager of the Netherlands team to replace Martin Jol as Ajax boss.
De Boer won the Eredivisie in four straight seasons from 2011 until 2014, with his Ajax team dominating the Dutch top flight.
He resigned from his post in 2016 after his team lost out on the Eredivisie title to PSV Eindhoven. De Boer went on to have short stints with Italian giants Inter, Premier League Crystal Palace and MLS outfit Atlanta United.
The former Ajax captain returned to the Netherlands to manage the national team in 2020. However, the KNVB sacked De Boer after the team suffered a 2-0 defeat against the Czech Republic in the last 16 of Euro 2020.
Erik ten Hag (2017 to 2022)
Ten Hag helped Ajax to win three Eredivisie titles in 2019, 2021, and 2022, as well as winning the KNVB Cup on three occasions before his 2022 departure to Premier League Manchester United.
However, arguably his biggest achievement while Ajax boss was guiding the team to the Champions League semi-final in 2019 against all odds.
The Dutch giants were seconds away from booking a place in the competition’s final, only for a stoppage-time Lucas Moura goal for Tottenham to break their hearts.
Ten Hag brought through a fresh generation of players who played exciting football. His spell as Ajax boss brought excitement and stability to the club.
In your opinion, who is the most influential Ajax boss of all time?