Roda JC Kerkrade has said goodbye to assistant coach Adrie Bogers after less than three months. The right-hand man of head coach Jurgen Streppel had a clause in his contract with the Limburgers that made it possible to leave immediately if a foreign adventure presented itself. Various media report that Zeljko has offered Petrovic Bogers that opportunity.
Petrovic initially joined the Iraqi national team alongside Dick Advocaat, but took over as national coach after the departure of the 74-year-old coach. With Rahim Hameed, Razzaq Farhan and Ahmed Salah Alwan, Petrovic has three Iraqi assistants and now, with Bogers, he is also adding a Dutchman to his technical staff. The two previously worked together at Urawa Red Diamonds (in Japan) and RKC Waalwijk, after which Bogers was also active at NAC Breda, Sparta Rotterdam, Willem II, NEC and ADO Den Haag.
Iraq has four games left in the Asian World Cup qualifying cycle. It seems practically impossible to grab a direct World Cup ticket, but Petrovic’s team can still finish third in a group that includes Iran, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Syria and Lebanon. In that case, there would be a play-off against the number three of the other group in the final round of the Asian World Cup qualifying cycle. The winner of this qualifies for an intercontinental play-off, in which a World Cup ticket is at stake.
Roda will have to do without Bogers in the second half of the season. “We were able to sign Adrie in October under certain conditions, including the possibility that he could embark on a foreign adventure. We therefore wish Adrie every success in his new challenge and the further course of his career,” Streppel reacts to the departure of his assistant. He has two assistants left, Remond Strijbosch and Roel Brouwers.
At the same time, Roda will welcome a new player with Tomer Altman on Wednesday. The 23-year-old midfielder played for Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Haifa in the past and has been without a club since last summer. Altman – a former youth international for Israel – joined Roda as a test player over the winter period and eventually secured a contract until the end of the season.