Francesco Farioli has officially been appointed as the new head coach of Eredivisie giants Ajax, becoming the first ever Italian to take charge of the historic Dutch side.
Farioli has signed an initial three year contract, running until the summer of 2027.
The 35-year-old has had to leave his post with Ligue 1 side ODG Nice in order to accept the move. He had been appointed just last year, arriving on June 30, 2023, before leading the team to fifth place in the French top flight. Nice had finished the previous season in ninth.
Ajax will be the fourth club of Farioli’s coaching career, having also had two spells in Turkey; one with Fatih Kamagumruk in 2021, and another with Alanyaspor between 2021 and 2023. With the former, he became the youngest ever head coach in the Turkish Super Lig.
His involvement in the professional game runs further back than that though, as he had initially worked as a goalkeeper coach in Qatar, before taking on the same role with a number of clubs in Serie A, including with Benevento and Sassuolo under former Brighton coach Roberto De Zerbi.
What Farioli said
“I am very happy to be here in Amsterdam,” Farioli said in an official statement given to Ajax’s club website.
“Along with my other staff members, we are going to work diligently. We want to get back to basics and connect with what Ajax stands for as a club. We also want to bring new energy along with a positive way of working and thinking.
“I am aware of the fact that there is a lot of work to do, but we have already started to prepare. We don’t want to waste any time and so we are now getting ready for the start of the season, and to bring Ajax back to where it belongs.”
Presenting Francesco Farioli, our new head coach! pic.twitter.com/fEPa90Khj8
— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) May 23, 2024
Farioli is 35*.
Not the guy to redeem this broken Club