Dutch Football Association appoints Ronald Koeman manager of men's national team
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Yesterday, the Royal Dutch Football Association (Koninklijke Nederlandse Voetbalbond; KNVB) announced Ronald Koeman as the new manager of the men's national team. The 54-year-old signed a four-and-half year contract, which is under "immediate effect up to and including the 2022 World Cup" ((nl))Dutch language: onmiddellijke ingang tot en met het WK 2022 , KNVB's official statement read.
Koeman has previously managed nine football clubs, and his most recent spell was in England, where he managed Southampton FC and Everton FC. In 2016–17, he guided Everton to a seventh place finish in the first season in-charge, but was sacked in October.
Featuring in 78 matches for the Dutch national team, Koeman won the Euro 1988. KNVB also appointed 49-year-old Nico-Jan Hoogma as the director. After signing the contract, Koeman tweeted, "I am proud to finally announce that I am the new manager of the Dutch national team. Happy to be here and serve the country in our road to UEFA Euro 2020".
Netherlands had finished as the runners up at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and third at the 2014 World Cup under management of Louis van Gaal. But The Oranje failed to qualify for the UEFA Euro 2016 under Danny Blind's management, and last year, they failed to qualify for this year's World Cup in Russia. That was their second consecutive failure to qualify for a major tournament.
Koeman, who succeeds Dick Advocaat as the manager of the national team, is to face England in a friendly match to be played on March 23 in the Dutch capital Amsterdam.
Related news
- "Football: Robben retires from international football after Netherlands fails to qualify for World Cup" — Wikinews, Friday, October 13, 2017
- "Netherlands out of Euro 2016 as van Persie scores own goal against Czech Republic" — Wikinews, Wednesday, October 14, 2015
- "Spain defeat the Netherlands 1-0 in extra time to win 2010 FIFA World Cup" — Wikinews, Monday, July 12, 2010
Sources
- "Ronald Koeman en Nico-Jan Hoogma tekenen contract" — KNVB, February 6, 2018 (Dutch)
- "Ronald Koeman appointed as Netherlands manager" — The Guardian, February 6, 2018
- Mike Corder for AP. "Ronald Koeman appointed coach of struggling Netherlands" — The Washington Post, February 6, 2018