Preud'homme leaves Twente for al-Shabab
Monday, June 13, 2011
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FC Twente coach Michel Preud'homme has left the Dutch Eredivisie runners-up after 12 months in charge for Saudi Arabian side al-Shabab, saying: "It has been a fantastic year."
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Michel Preud'homme has stepped down at FC Twente to take over as coach of Saudi Arabian team al-Shabab.
The 52-year-old former Belgium goalkeeper leaves Twente after a solitary campaign in which the Enschede club won the Dutch Cup by beating AFC Ajax in the final, but then lost their grip on the Eredivisie crown after a 3-1 defeat away to the Amsterdam outfit on the last day of the season.
Preud'homme arrived at 2010 league title winners Twente last summer in time for their debut UEFA Champions League campaign and eventually led his side to the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals. The former R. Standard de Liège and KAA Gent boss now joins Riyadh's oldest club.
He said: "I enjoyed working at FC Twente. It has been a fantastic year for me personally as well as the club in terms of results. It is very nice that the board understood my situation. Together we came to a solution. I wish FC Twente the best for the future, which looks bright. I have no doubt about that."
Twente chairman Joop Munsterman, whose team are preparing to enter the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League in the third qualifying round, added: "It is fantastic what Michel Preud'homme did for FC Twente. Michel deserves a lot of respect from FC Twente, but because of his success there was interest in him – and the inevitable departure. We wish Michel great success in his new job."
