Sparta Rotterdam unsuccessfully approached Danny Blind to become the new head coach. That tells the 62-year-old Zeeuw RTV Rijnmond. Sparta is looking for a new trainer after the departure of Maurice Steijn to Ajax and approached Blind, but he decided to decline the Spangeners’ offer.
Blind was honored by Sparta’s interest, but ultimately decided to say ‘no’, as he enjoys the life he currently leads. “That will change if I say ‘yes’ to Sparta,” said the former defender, who played for the club from Rotterdam between 1979 and 1986, against the regional medium. “Then I have to be available 24/7 and – so to speak – put my bed down at Het Kasteel. I am still open to a country, with or without Louis van Gaal. Not for a club anymore. I duly let Sparta know that.”
Blind was twice active as head coach in the past: in 2005 and 2006 at Ajax, and from 2015 to 2017 with the Dutch national team. Moreover, he acted as an assistant for a long time at both Ajax and the Dutch. Last winter, Blind was also an assistant to national coach Louis van Gaal during the World Cup in Qatar. That was his last job in a technical staff for the time being.
Earlier, Gregg Berhalter was already in the picture to become the new trainer of Sparta. However, he decided to return as United States national team coach. Then Ron Jans and Erwin van de Looi were also mentioned. However, Jans has indicated that he does not want to work for the time being, while Erwin van de Looi, who is currently active with the Dutch Juniors at the European Championships in Georgia and Romania, said that he has not spoken to Sparta.
Fred Ruth
Another candidate to become Sparta’s new head coach is according to RTV Rijnmond Fred Rutten, who will leave this summer as an assistant coach at PSV and would like to get back on his feet. Sparta hopes to be able to appoint someone this week, as preparations for the new season will start next Monday. “The intention is of course to have a new trainer for the group on Monday,” said technical director Gerard Nijkamp. have a good and capable staff who can lead the first training sessions very well.”