Co Adriaanse
Encyclopedia
Jacobus "Co" Adriaanse (ˈkoː ˈaːdrijaːnsə) (born 21 July 1947 in Amsterdam
, Noord-Holland) is a Dutch
football
manager and former football player, who is currently the head coach of Eredivisie
team FC Twente
.
followed in his career, and after ending his first season fifth place, achieved a second place and the title of best Dutch team of the year. This meant that Willem II, a team better known for finishing in the bottom half of the Dutch league, would be playing in the Champions League. The Champions was a bridge too far for Willem II, and the team ended up last in the 1999-2000 UEFA Champions League
group stage, and after failing to achieve a European spot, Adriaanse resigned on 20 May 2000.
went on to capture Ajax's 28th Eredivisie
title.
team to join the UEFA Cup in the 2004-05 season. There, the club upset Spanish side and top contenders Villarreal CF
in the quarter finals before being knocked out on away goals in the semi-finals by Sporting Clube de Portugal, in the final minute of extra time. In the Eredivisie, AZ also performed above the expectations, ending third after topping the league for a week at the end of the first half and spending most of the second in second place. Adriaanse again coined a number of colourful phrases while at AZ, the best known being "Scoreboard journalism," "Cheese viewers," "Woonerf
football," and "Evening footballer."
), on 24 May 2005, he was presented as the new manager of Portuguese club FC Porto (replacing José Couceiro), and became the fourth manager to sign for the Portuguese side since the departure of José Mourinho
. In the first season as Porto coach, he achieved the "Dobradinha" for the first time since the departure of Mourinho, by winning the Portuguese Liga
and the Cup of Portugal.
club Metalurh Donetsk
. On 17 May 2007, Adriaanse resigned as manager of Metalurh Donetsk with four games to play in the Ukrainian Premier League.
Olympic team. His Middle East stint however lasted only 14 months, as his contract was terminated by mutual consent on March 2011.
announced on their website to have appointed Adriaanse as new trainer in place of departing manager Michel Preud'homme
. In his first official game with the club, he won the Johan Cruijff Shield
against former team Ajax.
. It was even more impressive, because Willem II often played attacking football. Throughout his whole manager career he always stuck to playing attacking football. His game approach is in many ways similar to that of Louis van Gaal
, who eventually succeeded him at AZ.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Noord-Holland) is a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
manager and former football player, who is currently the head coach of Eredivisie
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
team FC Twente
FC Twente
FC Twente is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, playing in the Eredivisie. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Eredivisie Champions, Sportclub Enschede and Enschedese Boys...
.
Playing career
As a professional player, Adriaanse played for six seasons with De Volewijckers (from 1964 until 1970) and a further six with FC Utrecht (1970 until 1976), retiring from football at the age of 29.Early career
He started his managing career with Zilvermeeuwen in 1979, and after four years he joined AZ for the first time as scout and youth trainer. After a year, for the 1984-85 season he resumed his coaching career with two four-year stints with PEC Zwolle and FC Den Haag, where he would be sacked for the first time. He was then chosen to direct the youth side of AFC Ajax, a position he would occupy for five seasons.Willem II
Willem IIWillem II Tilburg
Willem II , also known as Willem II Tilburg, is a football club based in Tilburg, North Brabant, Netherlands. The team was founded on 12 August 1896 as Tilburgia...
followed in his career, and after ending his first season fifth place, achieved a second place and the title of best Dutch team of the year. This meant that Willem II, a team better known for finishing in the bottom half of the Dutch league, would be playing in the Champions League. The Champions was a bridge too far for Willem II, and the team ended up last in the 1999-2000 UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
group stage, and after failing to achieve a European spot, Adriaanse resigned on 20 May 2000.
Ajax
He returned to Ajax as manager, but after a third place season he was released early in the next season, on 29 November 2001, after some poor results. During his tenure he made a number of controversial statements to the press – he called the chairman of PSV a "talking lampshade," and most famously said of Marco van Basten (mooted to join the Ajax staff at the time), "A good horse does not make a good rider." New coach Ronald KoemanRonald Koeman
Ronald Koeman is a former Dutch footballer, and the current manager of Feyenoord. He is the younger brother of former Feyenoord coach Erwin Koeman and the son of former Dutch international Martin Koeman...
went on to capture Ajax's 28th Eredivisie
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
title.
AZ
After starting the 2002-03 season without a club, he was signed to AZ in November 2002. A 10th place in the first season was followed by a fifth, which allowed the AlkmaarAlkmaar
Alkmaar is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of Noord Holland. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination.-History:...
team to join the UEFA Cup in the 2004-05 season. There, the club upset Spanish side and top contenders Villarreal CF
Villarreal CF
Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. , usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or just Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a city in the province of Castellón within the Valencian Community...
in the quarter finals before being knocked out on away goals in the semi-finals by Sporting Clube de Portugal, in the final minute of extra time. In the Eredivisie, AZ also performed above the expectations, ending third after topping the league for a week at the end of the first half and spending most of the second in second place. Adriaanse again coined a number of colourful phrases while at AZ, the best known being "Scoreboard journalism," "Cheese viewers," "Woonerf
Woonerf
A woonerf in the Netherlands and Flanders is a street where pedestrians and cyclists have legal priority over motorists. The techniques of shared spaces, traffic calming, and low speed limits are intended to improve pedestrian, bicycle, and automobile safety.-By country:In 1999 the Netherlands had...
football," and "Evening footballer."
Porto
After much speculation and his stated desire to leave the club (he was succeeded by Louis van GaalLouis van Gaal
Aloysius Paulus Maria "Louis" van Gaal OON is a Dutch football manager formerly in charge of Ajax, Netherlands, Barcelona, AZ and Bayern Munich...
), on 24 May 2005, he was presented as the new manager of Portuguese club FC Porto (replacing José Couceiro), and became the fourth manager to sign for the Portuguese side since the departure of José Mourinho
José Mourinho
José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho is a Portuguese football manager and the current manager of Real Madrid. He is commonly known as "The Special One".Mourinho is regarded by some players, coaches and critics as the best ever coach in football....
. In the first season as Porto coach, he achieved the "Dobradinha" for the first time since the departure of Mourinho, by winning the Portuguese Liga
Portuguese Liga
The Primeira Liga , formerly called Primeira Divisão, currently named Liga ZON Sagres after their main sponsors, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system...
and the Cup of Portugal.
Metalurh Donetsk
On 9 August 2006, Adriaanse resigned as manager of Porto. Four months later, he became coach of UkrainianUkrainian Premier League
The Ukrainian Premier League is the highest division of Ukrainian annual football championship. As the Supreme League it was founded in 1991 after the fold of the Soviet Union's Vysshaya Liga. In 2008 it was reformed into a more autonomous entity of the Football Federation of Ukraine and changed...
club Metalurh Donetsk
FC Metalurh Donetsk
FC Metalurh Donetsk is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Donetsk. The club currently plays in the Ukrainian Premier League.- Pre-history :...
. On 17 May 2007, Adriaanse resigned as manager of Metalurh Donetsk with four games to play in the Ukrainian Premier League.
Al-Sadd Sports Club
On 27 August 2007, Adriaanse signed a one year deal with Al-Sadd Sports Club and resigned as coach on 28 January 2008.Red Bull Salzburg
On 13 March 2008, Adriaanse signed a two year deal with the Austrian champion Red Bull Salzburg and he left the club after the end of his contract on 30 June 2009.Qatar Olympic team
On 12 January 2010 it was confirmed Adriaanse's appointment at the helm of the QatarQatar national football team
The Qatar national football team is the national team of Qatar and is controlled by the Qatar Football Association. They have never qualified for a FIFA World Cup but are hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The team has also appeared in seven AFC Asian Cup tournaments and hosted the 2011 AFC Asian...
Olympic team. His Middle East stint however lasted only 14 months, as his contract was terminated by mutual consent on March 2011.
FC Twente
On 20 June 2011, FC TwenteFC Twente
FC Twente is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, playing in the Eredivisie. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Eredivisie Champions, Sportclub Enschede and Enschedese Boys...
announced on their website to have appointed Adriaanse as new trainer in place of departing manager Michel Preud'homme
Michel Preud'homme
Michel Georges Jean Ghislain Preud’Homme'tönten mannen, , commonly known as Michel Preud'homme, is a Belgian football coach and retired goalkeeper. He is currently head coach of Al-Shabab Riyadh, a role he took after guiding outgoing Dutch Eredivisie champions FC Twente in the 2010–11 season...
. In his first official game with the club, he won the Johan Cruijff Shield
Johan Cruijff-schaal XVI
The 2011 Johan Cruijff Schaal was held on July 30, 2011 at the Amsterdam ArenA. The match was between 2010–11 KNVB Cup winners FC Twente and the 2010-11 Eredivisie winners Ajax. FC Twente won 2-1 in the Amsterdam ArenA in front of 45,000 fans....
against former team Ajax.
Tactical approach
Adriaanse gained a lot of fame in the Netherlands after qualifying for the Champions League with the average Dutch club Willem IIWillem II Tilburg
Willem II , also known as Willem II Tilburg, is a football club based in Tilburg, North Brabant, Netherlands. The team was founded on 12 August 1896 as Tilburgia...
. It was even more impressive, because Willem II often played attacking football. Throughout his whole manager career he always stuck to playing attacking football. His game approach is in many ways similar to that of Louis van Gaal
Louis van Gaal
Aloysius Paulus Maria "Louis" van Gaal OON is a Dutch football manager formerly in charge of Ajax, Netherlands, Barcelona, AZ and Bayern Munich...
, who eventually succeeded him at AZ.
Training
Adriaanse is famous for his controversial training approach. At Willem II, he once ordered his whole squad to follow him by car, while they drove 13 km away from their training ground. At a remote spot, all players had to give their car keys to Adriaanse. Then he drove back to town, while the squad had to run in front of his car. Back at the training ground, the players got their car keys back. However, since their cars were still parked far from the training ground, they all had to walk back another 13 km. At AZ Alkmaar he once ordered the whole squad to search for Easter eggs during a training session. They looked for an hour until Co Adriaanse finally revealed there were no eggs hidden. Adriaanse already had these strange training methods at the start of his career, because when he was a youth trainer at Ajax, he sometimes ordered his players to lay on the ground. Then a teammate (with football boots on) would run over the bodies. Because of all these infamous incidents, Adriaanse is sometimes nicknamed "Psycho Co".Honours
- 1986: Promoted to the EredivisieEredivisieThe Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
with PEC Zwolle; - 1989: Promoted to the Eredivisie with FC Den Haag;
- 2004: Winner of the Rinus Michels AwardRinus Michels AwardThe Rinus Michels Award is an annual prize in Dutch football. It is supported by the official football coaches union...
(for best Dutch coach of the year) with AZ; - 2006: Winner of the Portuguese LigaPortuguese LigaThe Primeira Liga , formerly called Primeira Divisão, currently named Liga ZON Sagres after their main sponsors, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system...
with Porto; - 2006: Winner of the Portuguese Cup with Porto;
- 2006: Manager of the year in Portugal with Porto.
- 2009: Winner of the Austrian Football Bundesliga with Red Bull Salzburg.
- 2011: Winner of the Johan Cruijff ShieldJohan Cruijff-schaal XVIThe 2011 Johan Cruijff Schaal was held on July 30, 2011 at the Amsterdam ArenA. The match was between 2010–11 KNVB Cup winners FC Twente and the 2010-11 Eredivisie winners Ajax. FC Twente won 2-1 in the Amsterdam ArenA in front of 45,000 fans....
with FC TwenteFC TwenteFC Twente is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, playing in the Eredivisie. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Eredivisie Champions, Sportclub Enschede and Enschedese Boys...
.