Giovanni van Bronckhorst - Feyenoord (Head Coach)
[article=http://www.feyenoord.com/news/news-overview/Van%20Bronckhorst-Feyenoord%E2%80%99s-new-head-coach]Giovanni van Bronckhorst has been given the job of head coach at Feyenoord staring next season. The
forty-year-old, a
former player and currently assistant coach, will
take over from Fred Rutten, who leaves the club at the end of this season. Van Bronckhorst and Feyenoord have reached agreement on a
two-year contract. Jean-Paul van Gastel will stay on as assistant coach and will sign a new three-year deal shortly.
Van Bronckhorst, who
has played an important role alongside Van Gastel as assistant to Ronald Koeman and Rutten over the past four seasons, says it is a ‘huge honour’ to be asked to take on head coach duties at De Kuip.
‘That I will now be head coach at the club where I once started as an F junior and to which I returned after a long career fills me with pride and I am therefore extremely appreciative of the trust Feyenoord has put in me,’ said Van Bronkhorst, who
earned 106 international caps for Oranje. ‘I have learned a lot from both Ronald Koeman and Fred Rutten as an assistant coach. A fantastic challenge now awaits me together with Jean-Paul and my staff and I’m really looking forward to it.’
‘It is good for the club that there is now clarity ahead of next season,’ Gio continued, emphasising that his appointment will not change the way the current technical staff work. ‘In the remaining phase of this season Jean-Paul and I will assist Fred Rutten with the same commitment and dedication as has been the case over the past months. The focus is fully on finishing this season well, achieving the very best with the whole team.’
Martin van Geel expressed his satisfaction on behalf of the club at the agreement with Van Bronckhorst and Van Gastel. ‘
We are convinced that Giovanni is ready for this step after three years under Ronald Koeman and a year under Fred Rutten,’ said the club’s technical director.
‘The good discussions we have had over the past period have only served to strengthen that feeling. We are delighted that Gio, as a real Feyenoord man, is taking on the challenge with us and of course also that Jean Paul is staying at the club.’
Van Geel also explained why Van Gastel would pen a three-year contract on Feyenoord’s request, while Van Bronckhorst has agreed a two-year deal. ‘We see Jean-Paul not only as an ambitious professional, but also someone who guards the culture of the club, who, due to his past as a youth coach, is also the ideal bridge towards our youth academy. That’s why we looked long term with him. In the coming period we will join forces to look for an experienced assistant coach to further strengthen and support the technical staff next season.’[/article]
Jan Wouters - Feyenoord (Assistant Manager)
[article=http://www.feyenoord.com/news/news-overview/Jan-Wouters-completes-coaching-team-for-2015-16-season]Jan Wouters has agreed to be new coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s assistant when the new regime is installed at De Kuip ahead of the 2015/16 season. The
54-year-old, who
won 70 caps for the Dutch national team in a glittering career that saw him play for such clubs as Ajax, Bayern Munich and PSV, will sign a
two-year contract in the near future.
The appointment marks a return to the Netherlands for Wouters, who
started the season as the head of youth development at Kasimpasa SK in Turkey, where he later took over as caretaker coach. Wouters arrived in Turkey after
three years at the helm at FC Utrecht, the club where he began his playing career. During his career, Wouters has
also filled the head coach’s position at PSV (as a caretaker) and Ajax, as well as working as an assistant coach at Glasgow Rangers and for the Dutch national team.
‘We wanted to add an experienced assistant to our technical staff for coming season and we felt that Jan Wouters was the ideal candidate,’ said technical director Martin van Geel on Monday.
‘In him we have got someone with huge experience and a long CV. Bearing in mind his age and drive he meets our criteria, while Jan has no ambition to work as head coach at Feyenoord. For us he is an excellent and very suitable addition to our staff for next season.’
Wouters himself feels the approach from Feyenoord is a great honour.
‘Feyenoord is a fantastic club with a rich history and of course fabulous fans. I’m really looking forward to being part of that in the near future, while I see it as a big challenge to assist a young coach like Giovanni with my experience.’
Wouters is also happy to return to his homeland after this season’s adventure in Istanbul. ‘I have loved it in Turkey, but it’s nice to be closer to my family again. I’ve continued to follow the Dutch league and I have already briefly spoken with Giovanni. It would be great to compete for trophies with Feyenoord.’[/article]
Dirk Kuyt - Feyenoord (free transfer)
[article=http://www.feyenoord.com/news/news-overview/Dirk-Kuyt-makes-Feyenoord-return]Dirk Kuyt will play in the red and white of Feyenoord again next season after signing a
one-year deal at his home in Istanbul. The
34-year-old did so in the presence of technical director Martin van Geel, who flew into the Turkish capital to complete the signing. The popular striker
returns to Feyenoord almost a decade after leaving De Kuip.
After penning the contract, Kuyt expressed his delight at the move.
‘It is the conclusion of nine great years abroad. I have had three wonderful years here in Turkey and won everything there is to win. It is now a good time to return. I’m in peak condition and I feel a great drive to make a success of my time at De Kuip. Hopefully there will be one difference from my first period. I really want to win something now.’
The news was greeted with cheers by his four children, who only heard about their relocation to the Netherlands after Kuyt signed his contract. ‘It says a lot about the role Feyenoord plays in our family,’ said the striker. ‘
We watch Feyenoord games on TV when we can and our children have been wearing Feyenoord shirts for years. This is fantastic for me, but just as good for my family, who now return to the Netherlands and our favourite club.’
Technical director Van Geel expressed his pleasure at landing the striker.
‘This is a great day for Feyenoord and the fans. We are delighted that Dirk has returned to us. I have every confidence the he will be a very big player for the club. We have agreed a one-year contract, but that does not say everything about the intentions of both parties. Dirk can continue for many years. He feels he can become Feyenoord’s Ryan Giggs and we can add on a lot of extra years. I think this will be music to the ears of everyone connected with Feyenoord.’
Kuyt earned a place in fans’ hearts between 2003 and 2006, becoming one of the club’s most popular players this century. He started scoring goals almost as soon as he pulled on the shirt,
finishing as the Eredivisie’s sharpest shooter in 2004-2005. He was
voted player of the year in the Netherlands in 2006.
His hard work and willingness to fight for the cause clearly endeared Kuyt to the fans, who continue to have good memories of the striker. Indeed, Kuyt has been embraced by fans everywhere he has played.
After leaving De Kuip Kuyt experienced success at Liverpool and Fenerbahçe, and in the Dutch national team. He played for Liverpool in the 2007 Champions League final and made the World Cup final in 2010, getting to the semi-final four years later. [/article]