Several Dutch managers have been nearly forgotten despite their notable
success and contribution.
The Netherlands is undoubtedly one of the elite football nations in the
world, which has produced a number of well-known and even legendary football
managers from time to time. Dutch football made its mark from the development
of Total Football, which rose to prominence in the late 1960s and reached its
peak in the 1970s. It lays the foundation of modern football.
Since then, Dutch managers have been on the headlines: Rinus Michels, then
his disciple, Johan Cruyff, and Guus Hiddink, followed by Louis Van Gaal,
Ronald Koeman, Frank Rijkaard, and Erik Ten Hag today. Sadly, the last one was
just sacked by Manchester United due to his team’s poor results recently.
On the contrary, another Dutch boss has stolen the spotlight recently.
Liverpool's Arne Slot can be regarded as rather underrated compared to Ten Hag.
Yet he managed to guide the Reds to the top of the standings sooner than
expected. The former Feyenoord boss proves that he has what it takes to carry
the weight from Jurgen Klopp’s team to bounce back for major silverware. He
could be leading Mo Salah and Co to win the Premier League, something that Ten
Hag, Ronald Koeman, Louis Van Gaal, and even Guus Hiddink were unable to clinch
during their tenure in England.
Slot is probably the current example of a notable but underrated Dutch
manager. Yet, in history, there have been others whose names might have been
nearly forgotten among the fans. They have either clinched continental trophies
or league titles in other European major leagues. Here are those distinguished
figures in the dugout.
Bert Van Marwijk
He is probably the most recent example of an underrated manager who was also
named the Netherlands national team boss. Marwijk never won Eredivisie in his
managerial career. In fact, he only snatched one domestic title, the KNVB Cup
2008 with Feyenoord, in his second stint. Yet, the father-in-law of Mark Van
Bommel was the last boss who delivered continental silverware for Feyenoord
when he lifted the UEFA Cup trophy in 2002, beating Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in
the final. Marwijk was also the last gaffer who brought De Oranje to the World
Cup final in 2010, something that even Guus Hiddink and Louis Van Gaal were
unable to do in their careers.
Unfortunately, he failed to replicate such success in EURO 2012, when Arjen
Robben and Co surprisingly headed to the exit too early at the group stage
without a single point. The former Hamburg boss also had a dismal campaign
while taking charge of Australia in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and even could not
help the UAE seal one berth in Qatar 2022. Ironically, he succeeded in
guiding Saudi Arabia to return to the World Cup final in 2018 but left the post
due to disagreement on the new contract.
Leo Beenhakker
His name was probably more popular in Poland and Trinidad and Tobago than
his own country following his success to lead them to their first ever EURO and
World Cup final round, respectively, in 2008 and 2006. Beenhakker did have two
stints with De Oranje in the 1985-1986 and 1990. Yet, he was more notorious for
his failure to optimise the great talents in his squad, such as Marco Van
Basten, Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, Ronald Koeman, and Hans Van Breukelen, as
they failed to qualify for the 1986 FIFA World Cup and went winless in Italy in
1990.
The former Chivas Guadalajara and Grashopper Zurich boss also won three La
Liga titles consecutively with Real Madrid from 1987 to 1989, plus Copa Del Rey
1989. Such was more memorable than three Eredivisie titles with Feyenoord and
Ajax.
Wiel Coerver
Wiel Coerver was probably more famous for his ‘Coerver Method’, the
well-known yet distinguished football training way. It does not only teach or
train football but also something further, to educate players to be people with
strong character. Such has been globally acknowledged since 1977. Manchester
United has been the famous side that has applied it to their youth
training.
Prior to developing it, Coerver gained success with Feyenoord in 1974. He
guided them to win the double, the league title, and the UEFA Cup. Surprisingly,
he left Europe in 1975, snubbing several offers from the top clubs to take on
the challenge of leading Indonesia national team with a target to qualify
for the 1976 Montreal Olympics. The Southeast Asian side undoubtedly failed but
only narrowly missed their chance after slumping to a defeat from North Korea
in the final. The former NEC and Sparta Rotterdam boss eventually returned home
to be at the helm of Go Ahead Eagles for a year.
Kees Rijvers
He was the former Netherlands boss from 1981 to 1984. Rijvers failed to
bring them to qualify for EURO 1984, but his contribution at the club level
deserves more recognition. He was the first gaffer to lead PSV to clinch their
first continental title by winning the UEFA Cup in 1978. Rijvers’ men were able
to eliminate Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona in the semifinal before thumping Bastia
in the final. The former Twente boss also won three league titles and the KNVB
Cup twice.
Aad de Mos
His name was identical to the rare success of KV Mechelen, the non-elite
Belgium side, not only in the domestic competition but also the continental
one. He was their manager when they won the Belgian Cup 1987, the UEFA Winners
Cup, and the Super Cup 1988, when his team thumped Ajax and PSV Eindhoven,
respectively, and clinched the Belgium league title in 1989. The former
Sporting Gijon boss even helped them return to the top flight in 2002.
De Mos also won the league title for Anderlecht 1991 and reached the Winners
Cup final in 1990 before losing to Sampdoria. Unfortunately, that was his last
silverware before his career declined despite a chance in taking charge of PSV
Eindhoven, the Bundesliga's Werder Bremen, Standard Liege, and even Spanish
Segunda division side Sporting Gijon. The former Leo Beenhakker assistant in
Ajax did win Eredivisie twice with Der Amsterdammers before continuing his
career abroad.
Huub Stevens
Huub Stevens is one of the very few Dutch bosses who received more
recognition in Germany than his own country. His name lingers among Schalke
fans as he had four spells with the Gelsenkirchen side, with the glorious
campaign in the first one. Stevens was able to deliver their first continental
trophy when they stunned Inter Milan in the UEFA Cup final in 1997. He also
snatched a back-to-back DFB Pokal title in 2001 and 2002 plus Bundesliga
runner-up in 2001. The Sittard-born gaffer had stints in Hertha Berlin, FC
Koln, Hamburg, TSG Hoffenheim, and VfB Stuttgart.
The former PSV man under Kees Rijvers only won the Austrian Bundesliga with
Red Bull Salzburg in 2010 but had less success in his home soil. His best
achievement was in the 1994/95 campaign, as he brought Roda JC Kerkrade to
finish second, toppling more established teams such as PSV Eindhoven and
Feyenoord. Yet, when he was at the helm of his former team, PSV, the
ex-defender only managed to lead them to finish fourth in 2008/09 and win the
Dutch Super Cup.
Hans Croon
His name was probably more popular in the neighbouring country, Belgium.
Croon was the manager who led Anderlecht to secure their first continental
title in 1976 as they lifted the UEFA Winners Cup trophy plus the Belgian Cup
in the same year. The Malang-born gaffer spent most of his career with the mid-
and lower-table teams in Belgium with Lierse, Zulte Waregem, plus Beringen, and
in his own homesoil with NEC Neijmegen, DWS, Volendam, and VVV Venlo.
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