Football: Hapoel Tel Aviv head coach Valkanis leaves for Ajax

Jerusalem: Hapoel Tel Aviv head coach Michael Valkanis has left the Israeli Premier League club to join Ajax's coaching staff, Hapoel said in a statement on Monday.

Ajax announced that the 49-year-old Australian had been appointed assistant to new head coach John van't Schip, reports Xinhua.

Hapoel have promoted Valkanis' former assistant, 32-year-old Spaniard Borja Lema, to replace the Australian as head coach.

"I want to express my gratitude from the bottom of my heart to the entire Hapoel Tel Aviv family," said Valkanis, who joined Hapoel in June.

"I am now turning to a new challenge, a unique and exciting opportunity to join a top club like Ajax," he added.

Ajax are experiencing their worst-ever season start, and currently sit bottom of the Dutch Eredivisie after losing 5-2 to PSV Eindhoven on Sunday.

Valkanis had previously served as van't Schip's assistant at Melbourne City, Zwolle and the Greece national team.