مدير عام كرة القدم
- Koeman says return to club coaching is "very slim"
- The 62-year-old finds national team management more positive
- Ex-Barca coach believes dealing with club issues took a toll
Speaking during a Dutch TV appearance on De Avondetappe Netherlands coach Koeman opened up about the possibility of returning to club coaching in the future. While the Dutchman didn’t officially rule out managing a club again, he admitted the “chances are very slim”. When asked about the reason for his reluctance to return to manage a club again, Koeman said that his experience with the Dutch national team has changed his perspective.
Koeman has managed many top clubs, including Ajax, Benfica, PSV, Valencia, Southampton, Everton and Barcelona. The 62-year-old’s last club managerial stint was with Barca, where he won the Copa del Rey in 2021 but was sacked the same year following a poor start to the new La Liga season. Koeman, who previously managed the Netherlands between 2018 and 2020, returned to the helm after the 2022 كأس العالم following Louis van Gaal’s cancer diagnosis.
Speaking on Dutch TV show De Avondetappe, Koeman hinted that his days of managing clubs are behind him.
“It’s not definitive, but the chances of me coaching a club again are very slim,” he said.
The ex-Barca boss explained that he enjoys coaching national teams more and prefers the environment around the Dutch squad.
“Everyone comes with a smile. Everyone is happy to see each other again and to be able to speak Dutch again.”
The drama of dealing with disappointed players is another factor he doesn’t miss, adding: “You don’t want to focus on that, because you want to focus on the football aspect.”
Koeman will now focus on preparing the Netherlands for the 2026 World Cup in the Canada, USA and Mexico. After their heartbreaking loss to Argentina in the controversial 2022 quarter-finals, the team will be looking to make a deeper run. For Koeman, the international stage is now the only one that matters.
