Ajax sporting director Marc Overmars has slammed the Dutch FA's plan to complete the Eredivisie season by August 3, comparing their attitude toward coronavirus to that displayed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Following a UEFA meeting on Wednesday, the Dutch FA (KNVB) released a statement declaring their intent to complete their top-flight campaign.
"After intensive consultations with, among others, all affiliated football associations, leagues and club representatives, UEFA strongly urges that the season be completed and that the schedule be aligned with the rest of footballing Europe," the KNVB statement read.
"It is hereby stated that the aim for all competitions in Europe is that they are completed before August 3. This means that the competition will have to start again in the second half of June."
Overmars was not pleased with the KNVB's declaration, saying he felt that money was being prioritised over health and that the season should be declared void.
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"The league is dead, life is more important," Overmars said.
"Why would it be about money and not people's well-being at this time? I had hoped that the KNVB would take an independent decision, but they are now hiding behind UEFA."
Overmars, who featured for Ajax, Arsenal and Barcelona among others during a decorated playing career, was particularly confused because he said that TV money is not as important to the Eredivisie as it is for other leagues in Europe.
"I have a lot of difficulty understanding that," Overmars said.
"We in the Netherlands are not as dependent on television rights incomes as the leagues in Spain, England, Italy and Germany are.
"I think that they had been put under big pressure by UEFA to continue playing at whatever cost."
Overmars would go on to compare the KNVB to Trump, who has at times played down the threat of the coronavirus while insisting Americans should quickly return to work to help the economy.
"I'm comparing the KNVB and UEFA with the sentiments of American President Donald Trump a week ago when he thought the economy was more important than the coronavirus."
With nine matches remaining in the season, Ajax are currently in first place, level on points with AZ and six points ahead of Feyenoord in third.