Jaap Stam has resigned as head coach of Feyenoord in the wake of their hefty 4-0 De Klassieker defeat to Ajax in the Eredivisie, to cap off a poor opening run to the season.
The former Manchester United defender succeeded Giovanni van Bronckhorst during the close season but was only able to take three wins from his opening 11 league games to leave them languishing in 12th place.
Sunday's loss was the latest in a string of poor results for the 47-year-old, who signed a two-year contract in June, with his side having been two goals down inside the opening 10 minutes.
As such, Stam has decided to quit at the helm of the club, in spite of continued support from both the board and his squad.
Speaking to the club's official website, he said: "I've thought about it a lot and for a long time. My final conclusion is that it is better for the club, the players and myself if I step aside."
Feyenoord technical director Sjaak Troost added: "The coach certainly still had our support and the players also wanted to continue with him, but if someone says: 'I no longer believe in it and don't want to carry on,' we respect that and it will stop. What a shame."
Stam previously was in charge of PEC Zwolle, whom he guided to a 13th-place finish last season in the Eredivisie after taking charge halfway through the season in December.
He also coached Reading in the Championship between 2016 and 2018, taking them to the play-off final in 2017, where they lost on penalties to Huddersfield Town at Wembley Stadium.
As a player, Stam won titles in his native Netherlands at PSV and trophies in Italy with Lazio and AC Milan, but it was his three season-plus stint at Manchester United where he made his biggest mark.
He played an integral part in the success of their treble-winning season in 1998-99, featuring in both their FA Cup and Champions League final victories, and was named as UEFA's Club Best Defender of the Year on two occasions.
