Ajax

Jaap Stam quits as Feyenoord coach after 4-0 defeat to Ajax

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:12 p.m. ET

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — Jaap Stam has resigned as Feyenoord coach, a day after his team slumped to a 4-0 loss at archrival Ajax.

Feyenoord's technical director Sjaak Troost said Monday he regrets Stam's decision.

He says Stam had the support of the club and players, "but if somebody says, 'I don't believe in it any more and don't want to continue' then we respect that."

Stam, a former Manchester United and Netherlands defender, succeeded Giovanni van Bronckhorst at the start of the season and has struggled for results.

Feyenoord, which won the Dutch league in 2017 for the first time in 18 years, is currently in 12th place and already 15 points behind leader Ajax.

Stam, who previously trained English team Reading and Zwolle in the Eredivisie, says "it's better for the club, the players and myself if I step aside."

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