Cruyff in court to halt Van Gaal

Johan Cruyff and his allies at Ajax went to court yesterday to block the appointment of Louis van Gaal as the club's new director in the latest step of a bitter boardroom battle.

Cruyff is on the Ajax supervisory board that controls the day-to-day running of the club. He drew up a plan this year to revitalise the famous Ajax youth training program by staffing it with respected former players. He says Van Gaal's appointment – made by other board members without consulting Cruyff – does not fit into his reform agenda.