Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 9:08 PM• Paul Jeursen • Last update: 21:11

Ted van Leeuwen will leave NEC at the end of October. The technical director submitted his resignation to the Supervisory Board at the end of April, but at the request of the executives he stayed on to bridge the summer transfer window. Van Leeuwen will stay with the people of Nijmegen until the end of October to finalize current affairs.

“NEC can no longer be compared with the club from a year and a half ago,” says the departing Van Leeuwen via the official channels. “With everyone’s help, a lot has changed for the better. Not only has the club been promoted, but the entire organization has been brought to Eredivisie level. In terms of facilities and in terms of thinking. These results are the consequences of facilitation. That is the foundation of everything. New locker rooms, new gym, tongue-in-cheek fields. This has brought impetus to the club, a new faith, a positive dynamic. After years in the darkness, a beautiful light shines on the club again. Everyone is enthusiastic: NEC matters again.”

According to Van Leeuwen, the targets have been achieved and faster than expected. “The club is ready for the third phase of the project: fixing and expanding. And thus make the step to a permanent place in the sub-top of the Dutch Eredivisie. That is a realistic target. It is with great pleasure that I look back on this project. I wish everyone a lot of success”, says the Apeldoorner.

Van Leeuwen was appointed to NEC in February 2021 with the assignment to lead the club back to the Eredivisie. This did not happen much later after his appointment via the play-offs. Under his reign, Jasper Cillessen, Philippe Sandler and Oussama Tannane, among others, were brought to Nijmegen. At the moment, the club occupies eleventh place in the Eredivisie with eight points from seven games.