Official: Ronald Koeman Appointed New Manager Of Netherlands National Side

Chris Wright

6th, February 2018

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Ronald Koeman has been appointed as the new head coach of the Netherlands, replacing Dick Advocaat who stepped down in November having failed to secure World Cup qualification.

Koeman has signed a contract that will put him in charge of Dutch fortunes up to and including the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with the focus very much on getting there in the first place.

The former Everton manager’s first opponents will be England in a friendly at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam on 23rd March.

With the Netherlands at a low ebb, a new-look team were just about displaying the green shoots of recovery during Advocaat’s last four or five matches in charge, with an emphasis put on handing call-ups to young talent and players in form, rather than big names being auto-selected.

As there is no immediate tournament concerns to gear up for, you’d think that Koeman – a pragmatist at heart – will be looking to both blood and bed in a new generation of Dutch fledglings over the course of next year’s inaugural Nations League campaign.

We honestly wish them the best. European international football just isn’t the same without having Holland at full bonk (then imploding spectacularly as and when the time comes).