Marc Overmars has made an immediate return to football just weeks after leaving Ajax following his role in a sexting scandal.
The former Arsenal winger left his position as director of football at the Dutch club at the beginning of last month after admitting sending inappropriate messages to female colleagues. Overmars had only recently penned a new deal with Ajax which committed him to the club until 2026 but hastily resigned from his post after news of the scandal went public.
The married 48-year-old admitted he was "ashamed" by his behaviour in a statement on Ajax's website confirming his departure. "Unfortunately, I didn't realise that I was crossing the line with this, but that was made clear to me in recent days," he said.
"I suddenly felt enormous pressure. I apologise. Certainly for someone in my position, this behaviour is unacceptable. I now see that too. But it is too late. I see no other option but to leave Ajax. This also has a major impact on my private situation. That is why I ask everyone to leave me and my family alone."
However, just six weeks after calling for privacy, Overmars has now stepped back into football as technical director of Belgian Pro League side Royal Antwerp. Antwerp chiefs are prepared to overlook Overmars' recent off-field conduct due to his impressive track record, and he was officially unveiled by the club on Monday.
"What has happened at Ajax won't happen again", Overmars 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 general 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.
Overmars spent seven years on the board of Go Ahead Eagles after his illustrious playing career, before his appointment as Ajax's director of football in 2012. During his near 10-year tenure in Amsterdam he oversaw a successful strategy of promoting youth from the club's academy, helping them to win four Eredivisie titles along the way.
It was Ajax's runs to the 2017 Europa League final and the 2019 Champions League semi-finals which drew the plaudits for the way Overmars had run the club behind the scenes with chief executive Edwin van der Sar. In addition to Ajax's performance on the field, a number of youth products were sold on for big transfer fees, including Frenkie de Jong to Barcelona, Matthijs de Ligt to Juventus, and Hakim Ziyech to Chelsea.
As a result, Overmars had been linked with various roles in the Premier League and beyond, including at former club Arsenal, Manchester United and, more recently, Newcastle United; before his reputation was tarnished by the sexting scandal which led to his resignation.
Antwerp's new owner Paul Gheysens is ambitious, though, and is said to consider Overmars' issues at Ajax a private matter. He is reported to have signed a multi-year contract and will likely be backed in the transfer market with the objective of helping the club win the domestic title again, following their recent Belgian Cup success in 2020.
However, he does so against the backdrop of departing his former role under a heavy cloud, with Ajax conceding Overmars' position had become untenable, despite considering him as "probably the best football director that Ajax has had."
Ajax board chairman Leen Meijaard said at the time of Overmars' forced resignation: "This is a dramatic situation for everyone who is involved in any way. It is devastating for the women who have had to deal with the behaviour.
"When we heard news of this, we immediately acted, carefully deliberating and weighing what was the best thing to do - all in consultation with CEO Edwin van der Sar and assisted by an external expert. Marc is probably the best football director that Ajax has had. We upgraded and extended his contract for a reason. But, unfortunately, he has really gone over the line, so continuing as director was not an option."
Van der Sar added: "I find the situation appalling for everyone and I agree with Leen Meijaard's words. In my role, I also feel responsible to help colleagues. A safe working climate is very important for everyone at Ajax.
"We will pay even more attention to this in the near future. Marc and I have been playing together since the early 1990s, first at Ajax and then with the national team and we have been colleagues in the management of Ajax for almost ten years now. That has now come to a very abrupt end. We are working on something very wonderful here at Ajax, so this news will also be a blow to everyone who cares about Ajax."
