Ronald Koeman: Barcelona to rent Netherlands coach
Ronald Koeman is determined to alter into the brand new Barcelona coach, club president Josep Bartomeu acknowledged on Tuesday.
Bartomeu acknowledged in an interview with Barça TV that negotiations with the Dutchman are developed but that a deal had yet to be signed.
“If nothing adjustments Koeman will be Barcelona’s new coach,” he acknowledged.
The announcement comes four days after the team’s humiliating 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals.
“Koeman may perhaps be the coach that may perhaps lend a hand this club pass forward with a new mission,” Bartomeu acknowledged. “It’s a coach that we know thoroughly in Barcelona, not simplest as a player but additionally as a coach. He is aware of Barça and its formula of notion soccer.”
As a player, Koeman helped Barcelona clinch its first European title by scoring an further-time winner in a final with regards to two an extended time up to now, and now the venerable defender is determined to return to try to clutch the club from its recent disaster.
He’ll be replacing Quique Setién, who became as soon as fired after Friday’s collapse in opposition to Bayern.
The 57-yr-licensed Koeman had been accountable of the Dutch national team since 2018 and had a contract that would end after the 2022 World Cup.
Bartomeu acknowledged Barcelona became as soon as drawn to signing Koeman in January nonetheless it wasn’t doubtless thanks to his commitment to the Netherlands. The president acknowledged Koeman became as soon as able to take the job now as there became as soon as extra time left till the global competitions resume, allowing the Dutch federation to extra without ache replace him.
“It has consistently been a dream for him (to educate Barcelona),” Bartomeu acknowledged.
A majestic central defender, Koeman shone for Barcelona below coach Johan Cruyff in the early 1990s, main the club to four straight Spanish league titles from 1991-94.
His extremely effective licensed-foot shot in the first half of beyond long-established time in a final in opposition to Sampdoria gave Barcelona its first European trophy in 1992.
Koeman became as soon as also a key player for the Netherlands, serving to it take the 1988 European Championship. He also performed for the Dutch national team in the 1990 and 1994 World Cups.
He modified into an assistant to educate Louis van Gaal at Barcelona rapidly after retiring as a player. His first job as a head coach became as soon as with Vitesse in 2000, and he also labored with Ajax, Benfica, PSV Eindhoven and Valencia, amongst totally different clubs. Before taking on the Dutch squad, he coached Southampton and Everton in England.
He led the Netherlands to the Nations League Finals final yr, a competition it misplaced in the final in opposition to Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo.
He’ll score a Barcelona team coming off surely one of its most disappointing seasons ever, the first without a considerable title since 2007-08.
The team misplaced the Spanish league title to Right Madrid no topic coming again from the pandemic fracture with the lead at the tip of the standings. It became as soon as eradicated by Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey’s quarterfinals.
Setién lasted simplest 25 suits at the helm, and Lionel Messi and his teammates extra than as soon as confirmed their discontentment with club directors.
Barcelona has announced “profound adjustments” to the first team and a “huge-ranging” restructuring of the club, with new presidential elections situation for March next yr.
The club on Tuesday also announced it reached an settlement with sports activities director Éric Abidal to end his contract. The venerable player had upset Lionel Messi earlier this yr after criticizing the squad’s efforts amid a series of uncomfortable outcomes. Bartomeu acknowledged Abidal asked to head away the club.