ZEIST, Netherlands (AP) – Ronald Koeman took charge of the struggling Netherlands team on Tuesday. He was contracted to the 2022 World Cup.
Koeman replaced Dick Advocaat, who was appointed as a stop-gap measure in June after Danny Blind was fired.
The Netherlands failed to qualify for the upcoming World Cup in Russia and 2016 European Championship after reaching the semifinals of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The 54-year-old Koeman had been coaching in the English Premier League for the last three years; Southampton then Everton.
He played 78 internationals for the Netherlands and was part of the team’s only major title, the 1988 European Championship.
Koeman made no secret of his desire to coach the Netherlands, and was disappointed not to have been appointed when Louis van Gaal left after the 2014 World Cup.
At the time, the Dutch Football Association opted for the experience of Guus Hiddink, a move that backfired as he failed to galvanize a squad Van Gaal helped to overachieve in Brazil.
Hiddink was fired in 2015 and replaced by Blind, who could not secure qualification for Euro 2016 and began the ultimately unsuccessful campaign to qualify for Russia before making way for Advocaat.
Koeman made a name for himself as a coach at teams including Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, Valencia, and Feyenoord, earning a reputation as a leader who can get the best out of his players. He was fired by Everton in October, two months into his second season in charge. In his first season he led the team to seventh in the Premier League.
Koeman takes over a Netherlands team that is nearing the end of an era with winger Arjen Robben having retired last year, playmaker Wesley Sneijder approaching the end of his career, and all-time top scorer Robin van Persie currently a substitute at Feyenoord.
Koeman’s first match in charge will be a friendly on March 23 against England in Amsterdam.
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