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Cape Town - Parent club Ajax Amsterdam on Tuesday shared their disappointment at the controversial resignation of Dutchman Andries Ulderink as head coach of Ajax Cape Town, after claims of blackmailing.
Ulderink departed the Urban Warriors - who currently lead the GladAfrica Championship - with the club saying that it "refuses to be blackmailed".
The 50-year-old threatened to resign if the current suspension of Technical Director, Hans Vonk, wasn't lifted by CEO Ari Efstathiou who decided to instead accept his resignation.
"As a major shareholder, we are dissatisfied with the recent developments and what has been communicated by Ajax Cape Town," an Ajax Amsterdam spokesperson said.
Vonk has been indefinitely suspended for what the club has dubbed "serious charges of misconduct" with a decision yet to be made as to whether he will face a disciplinary inquiry.
"In our view, Andries Ulderink and Hans Vonk were doing an excellent job," Ajax added.
"That can also be seen in the upward trend that has been underway since Ulderink has been the head coach and Vonk appointed as head of football affairs.
"We will discuss this further with Ajax Cape Town and won't be commenting further and would like to reiterate that promotion to the first division remains the top priority."
When contacted, Ajax Cape Town refused to reveal the reasons for Vonk's suspension, but were keen to play down any tensions between the two clubs.
Rumours suggest there was a power struggle in Cape Town between Vonk and Efstathiou.
The former goalkeeper had been given the directive by Ajax CEO Edwin van der Sar to run football operations - which led to Ulderink's appointment - since the Cape side's relegation from the Absa Premiership.
The Urban Warriors also confirmed that they were looking to appoint a new head coach at the earliest possible opportunity with advisor Foppe de Haan set to have input in the appointment process.
- Compiled by Baden Gillion
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