Ajax have appointed Maurice Steijn as manager on a three-year contract, the Dutch giants announced on Wednesday.
Ajax suffered a woeful season by their own standards which saw the club fail to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 13 seasons.
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Steijn made his mark last year as he led modest Sparta Rotterdam to a sixth place finish in the Eredivisie -- the team's best result in 27 years.
Despite that achievement, the 49-year-old's appointment to the club who have won a record 36 Dutch league titles came as a surprise as he has spent most of his 12-year coaching career at smaller Dutch teams.
"He has outperformed at every club where he has worked," Ajax football director Sven Mislintat said in a statement. "I am convinced he is ready to make the step up."
Ajax dismissed coach John Heitinga earlier this month after finishing third in the standings, 13 points behind champions Feyenoord.