Ajax play down Rijkaard link

Ajax director Rik van den Boog has ruled Frank Rijkaard out of the running to become the club’s new coach.

Rijkaard, who served the Dutch club with distinction as a player, has been out of work since leaving Barcelona at the end of last season.

Speculation in Holland has linked him with the vacancy created by Marco van Basten’s resignation last week but Van den Boog believes the former AC Milan midfielder is not interested in a move to the ArenA.

“We understand that Frank Rijkaard wants to do something else, so he is not an option for us,” he told Sportweek.

Van den Boog also revealed that a coach in the mould of Louis van Gaal is what they are looking for.

He added: “It must be a coach who we can put in front of the group as soon as possible.

“He must have great coaching and motivational capacities and he must be able to make younger players more consistent. Both individual and as a team.

“He doesn’t need to have an Ajax background. We want someone who has the right qualities for this group.

“We want a type such as Van Gaal but I read that he will join Bayern Munich.”