Tuesday, September 21, 2021 at 7:14 PM

Willem Weijs will leave Willem II immediately to become an assistant coach at Anderlecht, the Tilburgers announced via the official website. The 34-year-old Weijs worked at Willem II as a trainer of the Under-21 and had a supporting role with the first team last season. At Anderlecht, Weijs becomes the right-hand man of Vincent Kompany, who recently saw an assistant leave with Craig Bellamy due to depression.

“’I am glad and proud that I was allowed to work at Willem II. Last season was an eventful and instructive year with a fortunately positive ending,” says Weijs on Willem II’s website. “The assistantship at Anderlecht is a unique opportunity for me in my development, which I wanted to go for. That is why I decided to respond to Anderlecht’s interest. I would like to thank my colleagues and players with whom I have worked for the pleasant cooperation and good time we had together and wish the club all the best for the future.”

“For Willem this is a great step”, explains Bastiaan Riemersma, head of youth education on behalf of Willem II. Riemersma, together with Bruno Andrade and Jasper Waalkens, will temporarily take over the duties of Weijs with Willem II’s Under-21 team. “After all, he has never hidden his ambitions. However, it is a shame for the Willem II Youth Academy that he is leaving, because we like to work with trainers with qualities such as Willem II’s and who want to commit to the club for a longer period of time.”

Weijs has been working as a trainer of Willem II’s Under-21 since the summer of 2020. Before that, he worked as a youth assistant and interim trainer at NAC Breda and in the youth academy of PSV and Ajax. Earlier this summer, FC Eindhoven tried in vain to remove Weijs from Tilburg. He now leaves Willem II for Anderlecht, the current number five in Belgium.