On Friday, Dutch national team coach Louis van Gaal stated his intention to retire after next year’s World Cup in Brazil.
The ever revolving managers door must have the KNVB’s head spinning as they have to go back to drawing board and search for yet another successor. Van Gaal, 61, has grown tired of international management and the constraints it brings, but states that he misses club football.
This is Van Gaal’s second spell in charge of the Oranje after replacing Bert van Marwijk in May 2012, and he has coached Holland to top of their UEFA European World Cup qualification group ahead of the Brazil 2014 finals.
Van Gaal will end his second spell as Oranje coach in 2014
Speaking in a press conference ahead of his side’s summer trip to Asia: ”I took over as national coach with the ambition of going to a World Cup or a European Championship. It is something I have not achieved before and once I have achieved this I will leave.”.
“I am constantly having to borrow other coach’s players, and this is something I do not enjoy. I miss the opportunity working with players on a daily basis and at the end of the day I would like to return to this.”
Full retirement may well be on his agenda too when asked if a return to club football is in his future he replied: “Not unless a nice Premier League side comes along… If that happens, I will have to discuss it with my wife.”
In December 2012, the Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) granted Fox International Channels’ (FIC) an acquisition of a 51% stake in the Eredivisie Media and Marketing (EMM), the media and commercial arm of the country’s top league. Today, the amount of money that is to be shared out to all 18 teams was revealed.
The initial deal between EMM and the broadcast subsidiary of News Corporation was struck last August for a reported €1 billion. EMM owns media rights to the Eredivisie and controls the Eredivisie Live pay-per-view television channel. Fox will pay the €1 billion over the 12 years encompassing the 2013-14 to 2024-25 Dutch football seasons, with NMa board member Henk Don stating the deal guarantees a payment of €80 million a year to clubs in the Eredivisie through 2025. EMM was established in 2008 through a partnership between the Eredivisie clubs and media and production company Endemol.
The agreement saw Raymond van der Vliet, managing director of FIC in the Benelux region, join the management of EMM. Speaking in December he stated: “Together we will first examine the optimal exploitation of all possible media rights of Eredivisie clubs to give football fans an even better experience. We have a healthy ambition and will also explore the creation of an additional TV channel. We are looking forward to making a positive contribution to the exciting and attractive Eredivisie in the Netherlands.”
Now due to this new investment in the league, the Dutch media had wondered how this new wealth would be divided between the 18 clubs of the Dutch top flight. A decision was made by the investors that the money to shared out on average positions in the league for the last ten years. Whoever finished highest on average would be awarded the biggest fee. The chart below shows the figures for the upcoming 2013/14 season with champions Ajax receiving the most funds topping nearly €8 million.
Last seasons Eredivisie runners-up PSV Eindhoven are set to gain just over €7 million. Around €1.5 million is set to be received at the inexperienced newly promoted teams like Cambuur, Go Ahead Eagles and PEC Zwolle.
As you can see in the table below this deal seems to be a case of making the rich, richer and the poor, poorer.
With the clumsy Sander Boschker in the dog house and first choice keeper Nikolai Mihaylov rumoured to be on his way, FC Twente have made their second signing of the summer a goalkeeper.
Sonny Stevens, 21 next month, has signed a four year deal with the Enschede club from Eerste Divisie side FC Volendam with an option to add another year.
The 6ft 4inch tall stopper made 42 appearances for Volendam since making his debut on 21st September 2010 in a KNVB Beker match at HVV Hollandia.
Since the departure of now FC Utrecht goalkeeper Robbin Ruiter from Volendam, Stevens became first choice. Volendam made a good go at promotion this year falling at the last hurdle in the playoffs against Go Ahead Eagles next week.
Current first choice, Bulgarian ‘keeper Mihaylov has been linked with Premier League side Fulham and with Boschker making disastrous mistakes as of late, Stevens may find himself receiving the number one shirt at Twente, sooner rather than later.
Twente’s first signing of the summer was Dutch youth international Kyle Ebecilio from Arsenal on a free transfer. Ebecilio, like Stevens, also signed a four year contract.
Feyenoord has clinched highly-rated midfielder Jordy Clasie to a one-year contract extension, and the young prodigy is now contracted to the club until the summer of 2016.
Feyenoord capture Jordy Clasie until 2016
Clasie went through his entire youth development of Feyenoord and during the 2010/2011 season he was loaned to Excelsior, where he debuted in the Eredivisie. Since returning, the past two seasons, the midfielder has notched up 66 league games for Feyenoord and scored five goals, and has made the number six shirt his own.
Talking to Feyenoord.nl, the 21-year-old midfielder is delighted with the new deal: “My choice is to stay longer at Feyenoord, I want to help this club next season to play for trophies.”.
The future of Clasie has hung in the air for some time now, being linked with various clubs and the latest being in Italy with Fiorentina. The Dutch international added: “It means a lot to me to be able to stay here. I have been here fourteen years now and they have been fantastic to me. The last two years have been the most enjoyable and I consider myself and the team are doing well.”.
Technical director Martin van Geel states that it was important that the club sorted the future of Clasie out as soon as possible: “Over the last two seasons, Jordy has been an important part of Ronald Koeman’s team and has made great strides in his own personal development. He has already gained five international full caps for Holland. We always said to him that we would talk in May at the end of the current season, and we saw this as a vital part of the summer transactions, regarding the future of this tremendous young prospect.”.
Feyenoord also hopes to gain an agreement with central defender Stefan de Vrij on a new contract. The players current contract ends in July 2014. De Vrij has been linked with a move to the English Premier League with Everton.
Three clubs in Dutch football are in poor financial shape, the KNVB announced on Wednesday morning. Based on their interim results, ADO Den Haag, Fortuna Sittard and FC Emmen are listed in Category 1.
Clubs listed in Category 1 must work on their financial recovery and gain Category 2 status within three years. The KNVB will investigate each case and set-up a plan to clean up each club’s financial difficulties.
The report, compared with earlier this year, is a vast improvement. In January, five clubs were listed in Category 1 and were put under scrutiny by the organisation. Helmond Sport and FC Dordrecht were then also listed as being in financial danger but the clubs reported last month to now being classed in the second category. The now-defunct SC Veendam, who went bankrupt last month, is removed from the list, while FC Emmen have dropped into Category 1 from the last report.
Mark Boetekees, who is responsible for the KNVB report is pleased with the progress. “It’s good to see that clubs now realise that a good and consistent financial policy is important. They must continue to work on financial recovery to ensure that their future is secure.”
In total they are 23 of the 34 professional clubs in the safe category 2. These are: AZ, FC Den Bosch, SC Cambuur, FC Dordrecht FC Eindhoven, Excelsior, Feyenoord, De Graafschap, Helmond Sport Heracles Almelo, MVV Maastricht, NAC Breda, NEC, RKC Waalwijk Roda JC, Sparta Rotterdam, Telstar, FC Twente, FC Utrecht, Vitesse, VVV-Venlo, Willem II and PEC Zwolle.
Eight clubs are in excellent financial condition and are listed in Category 3: Ajax, Almere City FC, Go Ahead Eagles, FC Groningen, Heerenveen, FC Oss, PSV and FC Volendam.
All clubs have to submit their figures to the federation for the year 2013/14 by the next financial assessment, which will be on June 15.
On Monday morning, Phillip Cocu was appointed new PSV Eindhoven head coach on a four-year deal.
Cocu replaces Dick Advocaat, who had previously stated his intention to step down at the end of the season if PSV Eindhoven failed to win the Eredivisie title. With the club finishing as runners-up and seven points adrift of Ajax in the standings, the former Holland coach is stepping aside to give Cocu the chance to lead the club.
42-year-old Cocu, who enjoyed two spells at the Eindhoven club as a player and six years at La Liga giants Barcelona, spent three months as PSV’s interim coach at the end of last season following the dismissal of Fred Rutten, before Advocaat then came in to take over the reins.
At a press conference on Monday morning, general manager Tiny Sanders said the appointment of Cocu will signal a shift in focus from instant success to bringing through young players and building a team for the future.
“PSV and Phillip Cocu have agreed a four-year contract as head coach,” Sanders said. “This expresses the intention to build a new PSV with the involvement and appearance that characterises the club.
“Both parties see the selection of Phillip Cocu, after a good debut as interim coach, as the right choice.
“After focusing on the championship in 2013, partly fuelled by the return of Dick Advocaat, we are now aiming to implement a long-term vision.
“Extra attention and investment will be made in our youth system. While individual training and guidance and a recognisable style of play at all levels are important examples of our priorities.
“Qualification for the Champions League this year is a great windfall but is secondary to the priorities previously mentioned.
“PSV would like to thank Dick Advocaat for his hard work in the 2012/13 season and wish him every success in his future challenges.
“He was willing to show his loyalty and was the same passionate man with a warm heart as he was during his first spell in charge, so we are very grateful.”
Faber, van der Weerden and Cocu to lead PSV for the next four years
Cocu will be joined by assistants Chris van der Weerden and Ernest Faber.
The former Oranje international said: “We are all eager to start. This is a challenging job with an ambitious new staff.
“We are going to build a new team. There will be changes in the squad. PSV will always go for the title but there is time enough.
“I am someone who likes to learn step by step and don’t want to go too fast. I also think you’re never too old to learn.
“I’m ready to take this step. It is a long-term thing but I am someone who, if he start something, wants to do well.”
It is rumoured that Ruud van Nistelrooy and recently retired Mark van Bommel will join the coaching staff in Eindhoven in the next few weeks.
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