Koeman opts to quit as Ajax coach
 |  Koeman won two league titles and a Dutch Cup in just over three years in charge at Ajax |
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AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- Ronald Koeman has quit as coach of Ajax, the Dutch champions have announced.
Koeman's departure came after Ajax were knocked out of the UEFA Cup on Thursday after a 3-1 defeat by Auxerre.
Ajax are in third place in the Dutch Premier League, eight points behind league leaders PSV Eindhoven.
Ajax said in a statement that assistant coached Ruud Krol and Tonny Bruins Slot will be in charge while the club looks for a replacement.
Koeman said Thursday's defeat had been the last straw.
"Yesterday's result decided it for me. I can no longer summon up the strength and the energy to get over this and to make the team perform better," he said.
"If I am not completely motivated and driven, I cannot and should not stay as coach. After three years and three months, our successful collaboration comes to an end," he said after a meeting with the Ajax board.
Ajax director Arie van Eijden said he regretted Koeman's decision but accepted it. "Ajax are naturally disappointed with how this season has gone. Yesterday's disappointing performance didn't have any direct consequences for us. We have also achieved many successes together with Ronald Koeman," he said.
Pressure has been mounting on Koeman, in his second spell as Ajax coach, after he clashed last year with technical director Louis van Gaal following Champions League defeats by Juventus and Bayern Munich. Van Gaal resigned last October.
Koeman arrived from Vitesse Arnhem in December 2001 to succeed sacked coach Co Adriaanse and won the double in his first season.
He also led Ajax to the league title in 2004 and to the UEFA Cup quarter-finals in the 2002-2003 season.
Krol and Bruins Slot will be in charge for the next two matches, against Roda on Sunday and Den Haag in the Dutch Cup quarter-final on Wednesday, to give the club time to decide about the rest of the season.
Danny Blind, head of Ajax's youth teams, is a candidate to take over but sources close to the club board say Barcelona's assistant coach Henk ten Cate and Tottenham Hotspur manager Martin Jol are also in the frame.
