Wim Kieft wonders whether Ronald Koeman would do well to start at PSV. Koeman, who is clubless after his dismissal from Barcelona, is mentioned as a possible successor to the departing Roger Schmidt and would have had informal contact with the club management of the Eindhoven residents. Kieft is also not fully convinced of Ruud van Nistelrooij and Phillip Cocu, he writes in his column in The Telegraph.
“Ronald Koeman can certainly handle PSV and he has already proven that at the club. But to dive into that at 60…”, says Kieft. The analyst thinks Koeman is ‘more someone’ to succeed Louis van Gaal as national coach of the Dutch after the World Cup in Qatar. “If he doesn’t have the bad luck that the the Dutch becomes world champion. The Dutch national team has the potential to go far in that tournament and if Van Gaal gets things going, anything is possible. That would certainly change the situation for Koeman.”
Kieft points out that there is a lot of confidence in Eindhoven in Van Nistelrooij, the current trainer of Jong PSV. “Nice, but he’s just started and they haven’t forgotten the adventure with Mark van Bommel at PSV, have they? Being the head coach of a top club is different from taking responsibility for a young team,” emphasizes the former striker. “I have more confidence if Van Nistelrooy can walk with an experienced trainer, tried and tested at the top.”
“Erik ten Hag served as Fred Rutten’s right-hand man for many years before he came to stand on his own two feet. In that process, Rutten gave Ten Hag more and more responsibility so that he could grow into the position of independent head coach,” Kieft continues. He also hears the name of Cocu. “Apart from the willingness of Cocu, does he still fit in the philosophy of PSV as a trainer? You don’t hear much about that, but I think it is crucial for the future of the club.”
PSV leadership still has to consider Schmidt’s successor
The Telegraph and the Eindhovens Dagblad report that the PSV leadership will take the time to find a successor for Schmidt. “We have been waiting for the results of the talks with Schmidt. It is not our method of approaching other trainers before there is clarity. Now we move on,” says general manager Toon Gerbrands in conversation with The Telegraph.
Van Nistelrooij would have sat around the table with the PSV leadership last week and did not rule out a step to the first Friday evening prior to the game between Jong PSV and Helmond Sport (2-0). “A new situation is now emerging, also for the club,” Van Nistelrooij said ESPN. “Things will be discussed. I am someone who has a certain idea how certain things should go. I expressed that in December and that’s how I stand. A new situation is now emerging, we can talk about that. “
“In a number of interviews I indicated in December what my ideal future looks like,” Van Nistelrooij points out to the expressed ambition not to become PSV head coach next season. “In principle, I am still in that process. Things will be discussed. I said we have a game on Friday and Monday. Then we will look further.”