Antwerp’s new director of football Marc Overmars, speaks during a press conference for the Belgian soccer club Royal Antwerp FC, in Antwerp, March 21, 2022. – Tom Goyvaerts/Belga handout pic via AFP
AMSTERDAM, March 21 – Belgian side Royal Antwerp FC said today it had signed former Ajax director Marc Overmars as their new technical director, little over a month after he left his job in the Netherlands over inappropriate behaviour towards female colleagues.
Former Arsenal and Barcelona forward Overmars, 48, last month suddenly stepped down from his job at Ajax, as he admitted to “unacceptable” behaviour after it had emerged within the club that he had sent inappropriate messages and photographs to several women who worked there.
At his presentation at Antwerp today, Overmars said the matters at Ajax had been appropriately dealt with and had not impacted his talks with his new employer.
“What has happened at Ajax won’t happen again”, he was quoted as saying by Belgian broadcaster Sporza.
“I am glad to be here. It is a new chapter for me. A beautiful challenge at a club where I see potential to grow.”
Antwerp manager Sven Jaecques said he had not specifically talked to female workers at his club about the decision to sign Overmars.
“It is important to give people new opportunities and to turn the page”, he said.
Former Dutch international Overmars played for Ajax from 1992 to 1997 and became director in 2012. He had been re-appointed for a new term until mid-2026 shortly before his shock departure.
Overmars was broadly seen as the architect of Ajax’s string of successes in recent years, as he raised salaries at the club significantly and managed to bring in Premier League players such as Daley Blind, Dusan Tadic and Sebastien Haller. – Reuters