New role for De Haan
Thursday, March 11, 2004
Article summary
SC Heerenveen coach Foppe de Haan will take charge of the Netherlands' Under-21 and Olympic teams on 1 July.
Article body
SC Heerenveen coach Foppe de Haan has been appointed coach of the Netherlands Under-21 squad and the Olympic team.
Long-serving coach
De Haan will start his job with The Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) on 1 July and has signed a contract until the summer of 2008. The 60-year-old coach has been with Heerenveen since 1985, and has been head coach since October 1992, making him the longest-serving coach in the Dutch top flight.
New role
The veteran coach had already announced his intention to step down from Heerenveen at the end of the current campaign, although he will remain at the club as technical director next season. His new role will be to lead his sides to the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and the 2008 Olympic Games, and he will also be responsible for the technical co-ordination of all national youth squads from the age of 17 and above.
Olympic focus
"The KNVB is very satisfied with the appointment of Foppe De Haan, who is already highly respected in Dutch professional soccer," KNVB general manager Henk Kesler said. "With him we hope to finally qualify for the Olympic Games. We will make sure this team will get the necessary attention in the next years."
