Adriaanse appointed Twente coach

FC Twente have appointed Co Adriaanse as their new coach, the 63-year-old signing a one-year contract with the Dutch Eredivisie runners-up.

Adriaanse had been out of work since March, when he stepped down as coach of Qatar's Olympic team, but has now agreed to succeed Michel Preud'homme – who left for Saudi Arabian side al-Shabab on 13 June – as Twente's trainer and manager of technical affairs.

"When Twente approached me, I was immediately very interested," said Adriaanse, who counts ADO Den Haag, Willem II, AFC Ajax, AZ Alkmaar, FC Porto and FC Salzburg among his former clubs. "I have worked abroad for six years but as a coach I am still a typical product of the Dutch school. In the Netherlands we try to play attractive attacking football; abroad they often think differently so I was eager to return home.

"Twente are a good example," added Adriaanse, whose new side will enter the UEFA Champions League in the third qualifying round having finished second in the Eredivisie in 2010/11, when they also won the Dutch Cup. "At Twente I will have a squad with lots of possibilities who have already won trophies. The club also have a good organisational structure, so I'm glad Twente have given me the opportunity to work here."