Swansea confirm Koeman’s approach

A good move or not .

Discuss please


Swansea director John van Zweden has confirmed that he has been approached by Ronald Koeman’s management over coaching the Premier League club.

By Michael Bell
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koeman cKoeman will leave his position as Feyenoord coach at the end of the season, and wants to take on a job outside of Netherlands, with clubs in Germany, and England the target.

Swansea City sacked Michael Laudrup last month, and replaced him with club favourite Garry Monk, but could look for a more experienced coach for next season. Monk, who is only 35-years-old, is believed to be safe in his job, but with the club fighting potential relegation, the situation could change before the end of the season.

The Premier League club’s director John van Zweden confirmed to Voetbal International that they had been approached by Guido Albers, Ronald Koeman’s agent.

Zweden said, “Albers indeed approached with the question of whether Koeman was a suitable candidate for Swansea.”

“I passed on the number of the agent to Huw Jenkins and whether there has been any contact I really do not know. I know that the club is very pleased with Garry Monk.”

 

Hmm... I suppose getting your agent to tout you round Europe is him just doing his job and presumably with Koeman's approval. Has he given the agent a list of clubs to contact or a scatter gun approach to the top leagues? I'm not familiar with his managerial record, is it any good? If he was sought after then surely the offers would come to him.

I don't think Monk's up to the job next season, just yet, and would like to see him on the coaching staff under any new manager. Time will tell though... as always!

 

Having retired as a player after his stint with Feyenoord, Koeman became a member of the coaching staff of Guus Hiddink during the 1998 World Cup along with Johan Neeskens and Frank Rijkaard. After the tournament Koeman was appointed the assistant coach of Barcelona. In 2000, he was handed his first managerial job as the head coach of Vitesse where he led the team to a UEFA Cup spot on a relatively limited budget.

Ajax Koeman was appointed the manager of Ajax in 2001. Ajax' fortunes suffered a steady decline after Koeman got off to a successful start at the Amsterdam ArenA, winning a domestic double in 2001–02. Despite regaining the title in 2003–04, Ajax had fallen eight points behind rivals PSV in the Eredivisie. Coupled with Ajax being knocked out of the UEFA Cup by Auxerre, 3–2 on aggregate, lead Koeman to resign the following day on 25 February 2005.[8]

Benfica Koeman bounced back quickly from a disappointing end to his reign at Ajax in February 2005, taking up the vacant position at Portuguese champions Benfica following the departure of legendary Italian Giovanni Trapattoni. In Benfica, against whom he won the 1988 European Cup Final as a player with PSV, Koeman only won the Portuguese Super Cup; the team finished the Portuguese League in third place (behind rivals Porto and Sporting) and was knocked out of the Portuguese Cup in the quarter-finals (after losing to Vitória de Guimarães). This, along with an offer from PSV, sufficed for the manager to leave one year before the end of his contract, even though Benfica reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League before losing to Barcelona, who ended up winning the trophy.

PSV In the 2006–07 season, Koeman served as head coach of PSV, as successor of Guus Hiddink. PSV dominated the first season half, putting competitors as AZ and Ajax at a reasonable distance and PSV was almost destined to become champions again. However, PSV suffered in the second half of the season, also because of injuries of players Jefferson Farfán, Alex and Ibrahim Afellay, obtaining only 19 out 39 possible points.[9] AZ and Ajax regained their momentum, making for a close finish, with all three teams tied at 72 points before the last competition day. AZ played struggling Excelsior in their final match, but did not manage to win. Ajax played at Willem II, but did not score enough goals; it was PSV eventually who triumphed against all odds, winning at home 5–1 against Vitesse Arnhem, and thereby becoming Eredivisie champions with one goal at front of Ajax.

Valencia On 31 October 2007 Koeman agreed to be the new coach of Valencia after the sacking of Quique Flores, starting on 5 November 2007.[10] With Valencia he won the 2007–08 Spanish Cup, a tournament he previously won as a player of Barcelona. This was Valencia's first Copa del Rey since 1999.[11] The remainder of his tenure at Valencia would prove disappointing. The team would slump to 15th in the league, only two points above the relegation zone, along with finishing bottom of their Champions League group. A 5–1 defeat by Athletic Bilbao would prove the final nail in Koeman's time with Valencia. He was sacked the following day, on 21 April 2008.[11]

AZ He was appointed manager of AZ on 18 May 2009,[12] after Louis van Gaal, who won the 2008–09 Eredivisie with AZ, joined Bayern Munich. On 5 December 2009, AZ announced that Koeman no longer was in charge of AZ, after losing 7 of the first 16 games in the Dutch competition.[13]

Feyenoord On 21 July 2011, Koeman was appointed manager of Feyenoord, signing a one-year contract with the Dutch club as replacement for outgoing trainer Mario Been.[14] Through such appointment, Koeman has notably become the first man ever to serve as both player and head coach at all teams of the so-called "traditional big three" of Dutch football – Ajax, PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord.[15] Moreover, he has completed this in the same order as player and as manager. At the beginning of 2012 it was announced that his contract was extended

 

I think its his philosophy of how his teams play and working within a small budget will be the most important qualities rather than previous record. After all, if he had a really successful managerial record he wouldnt look at us let alone us being able to afford him.

Would rather someone like him than GJ. Not that I am discounting Monk either, if we go on a good run now I wouldn't be adverse to GM staying on. I just dont think that GM has the contacts and influence to sign the quality of players we will need to strengthen next season

 

Cheers Bap

You make a good point but even so, his record is hardly stellar. I guess we'll have to trust Huw on this, his record is very good!

 

I totally agree Dai. HJ always manages to make the right decision both long and short term. I just dont have a lot of faith in our scouting team since we have been in the Premiership. Outside of whoever the manager at the time has brought in none of our so called board signings have set the world alight. Obviously I am basing this on our recent British based signings which alway seem to come from lower leagues

 

Thanks for that Bap, much appreciated. Have to admit, there does seem a continuing trend in that he starts very well and then the wheels start to fall off.

 

You didn't include his record in Feyenoord - 2nd, 3rd and currently 4th working with a small budget.

 

You're right I didn't