Ajax's disastrous season continues to spiral, with a week from hell to add to their numerous struggles already during the campaign.
They are one of the most famous names in European football, and with 36 Eredivisie titles and 20 KNVB Cups to their name, they are the most successful club in Netherlands.
But not this season. They sit in sixth place in the league, suffered an early exit from their domestic cup, and struggled in European competitions.
In addition to the woeful results, they have been plagued with off-the-field issues too, including loud protests from the club's passionate fans, and a managerial merry-go-round since the exit of Erik ten Hag in 2022.
But a number of events over the past few days have added to Ajax's woes, and they will be desperate to seek a resolution to their issues quickly - and end this disastrous season as soon as possible.
Ajax's week from hell
The week started badly with Tuesday's news that they had suspended their new CEO Alex Kroes after 'indications he was engaged in insider trading'.
Then on Sunday, they were thrashed 6-0 by rivals Feyenoord, their heaviest-ever defeat in De Klassieker, and in the history of the Eredivisie since 1956.
The result leaves Ajax a whopping 33 points behind league leaders PSV Eindhoven, and 24 adrift of Feyenoord in second.
The managerial merry-go-round at Ajax temporarily stopped after John van't Schip took charge on October 30, but he is not expected to remain beyond the end of the season, spurring rampant speculation about his successor.
Man United assistant manager Mitchell van der Gaag and Liverpool's No 2 Pep Ljinders are thought to be on their managerial shortlist, along with several coaches around Europe.
But former Ajax, Barcelona and Netherlands striker Patrick Kluivert says he does not know why his former club have not talked to him about being their next head coach.
Kluivert, who played for Ajax between 1984 and 1997, told Rondo on Ziggo Sport 'it does hurt to see your club like this'.
Graham Potter reportedly turned down the opportunity to apply for the top job, it was reported on Monday.
The former Brighton and Chelsea manager, 48, had been in talks with the Amsterdam club over a return to management, but Sky Sports News said he was not interested in taking on the role at the end of the current campaign.
Chris Sutton joked that ten Hag could return to Ajax, having left the club in 2022 to join Manchester United.
Mail Sport football editor Ian Ladyman replied: 'You may have hit on something there, despite the fact it was meant to be a joke.'
Managerial merry-go-round
Since Ten Hag's exit almost two years ago, there has been ongoing turmoil at Ajax, with a managerial merry-go-round adding to the uncertainty at the Dutch giants.
At the start of 2023, Ten Hag's successor Alfred Schreuder was in the managerial hotseat, but he was ousted when Ajax had dropped to fifth in the Eredivisie last term.
Johnny Heitinga took the reins for the remainder of the 2022-23 season, before he was replaced by Maurice Steijn at the start of July.
However, the start of a new season did not stop the turbulence at Ajax. Director of football Sven Mislintat was axed in September after just 129 days in the job following some poor summer signings.
It followed fan fury and protests which caused the reverse game against Feyenoord to be abandoned with Ajax 3-0 down, after flares and fireworks were thrown onto the pitch.
Steijn's tenure as Ajax manager was cut short after their shocking start to the season left the Dutch giants in the relegation zone, their worst run of results since 1954.
Assistant coach Hedwiges Maduro took interim charge before handing the reins to Van't Schip - and now the club are actively looking for another person to fill the vacancy.
Recent resurgence peppered with more woes
In October, the club announced Louis van Gaal would return as an advisor, in a bid to steady the ship, while Van't Schip has helped Ajax rise from the relegation zone into the top half of the table, but it has not quelled all the issues at the Dutch giants.
In December, Ajax were dumped out of the Dutch Cup by minnows USV Hercules - an amateur side with students in their team - in one of the most incredible results in the country's footballing history.
During the winter transfer window, England midfielder Jordan Henderson joined the club - although he missed the 6-0 capitulation by Feyenoord through injury.
Last month, Ajax were beaten 4-0 by Aston Villa to exit the Conference League at the last-16 stage, having dropped into Europe's third competition from the Europa League.
In the last 20 years, the 36-time Dutch champions have never finished outside of the top four - and they are seven points behind AZ Alkmaar in fourth, with five games left.
They will be eager to get their remaining domestic commitments out of the way, hope to get as close to the top four as possible, and then regroup for the next campaign.
It can't get any worse than this. Can it?