AZ suffered a 3-1 loss to lowly PEC Zwolle on Saturday, making it their fifth in the last seven Eredivisie games. The UEFA Conference League contestants have dropped to eighth in the league with a game in hand.
Just four days prior to Martens' firing, AZ beat Ajax 6-0 in a record-breaking defeat for the Amsterdam giants, qualifying the Alkmaar side for the quarterfinals of the Dutch Cup.
The Belgian former winger, who played 231 games for AZ during his 12-year playing career, joined the club as manager in January 2024 after the dismissal of Pascal Jansen. In his 103 games in charge, Martens recorded 54 wins and 27 losses, appearing in the UEFA Conference League twice.
"Of course, it is incredibly unfortunate, and I am extremely disappointed at the moment," Martens said in a club statement. "Although the decision is still fresh, I look back with great pride and appreciation on the past two years that I was the manager at this wonderful club."
Martens' reign at AZ lasted exactly two years and one day. Against the traditional top 3, Martens stayed unbeaten against Ajax (W5, D1), whilst losing seven of nine meetings with PSV and Feyenoord (D2).
"Together with the squad, staff and others involved with the team, we worked hard every day to achieve the best possible results. Unfortunately, this is where it ends for me. Hopefully, AZ will win another trophy soon, and that could even happen this year," Martens concluded his statement.
Untapped potential
The club confirmed that Jong AZ manager Leeroy Echteld will take over as caretaker manager until the end of the season.
"We all strongly believe that this team has more potential than we have seen in recent times," Max Huiberts, AZ's director of football, said about Martens.
"We have frequently analysed and evaluated what needs to be improved. Unfortunately, we have seen too little stability and progress. This has forced us to take this very difficult decision."
AZ continue their season on Wednesday, when the Alkmaar side will take on Excelsior in a rescheduled Eredivisie game.