Geert Meijer 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 manager and former professional player who currently coaches amateur team VV Strijen.

Playing career

Born in Sellingen

Sellingen

Sellingen is a town in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is a part of the municipality of Vlagtwedde, and lies about northeast of Emmen.In 2006, statistical area "Sellingen", which also includes the surrounding countryside, had a population of 1920 in 820 households in an area of , and the town...

, Meijer played as a left winger, and began his professional career in 1972 with FC Amsterdam

FC Amsterdam

FC Amsterdam was a Dutch football club which was founded on June 20, 1972, from the merger of the Amsterdam football clubs Blauw Wit and DWS. The club Volewijckers joined the side for the 1973-1974 season...

. After moving to city rivals Ajax three years later, where he spent four seasons, Meijer spent a year in England with Bristol City

Bristol City F.C.

Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...

, making 15 appearances in the First Division

Football League First Division

The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....

. Upon his return to the Netherlands, Meijer played for Sparta Rotterdam

Sparta Rotterdam

Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands, established on April 1, 1888. Sparta is one of three professional football clubs from Rotterdam, the others being Excelsior and Feyenoord , the latter playing in the Eredivisie.-History:Sparta was first founded in 1887....

, DS'79

FC Dordrecht

FC Dordrecht is a football club from the city of Dordrecht in the Netherlands, currently playing in the Eerste Divisie.- History :Founded on 16 August 1883 as Dordrechtsche Football Club , it became a professional club in 1954 upon the introduction of professional football to the Netherlands...

 and NAC Breda

NAC Breda

NAC Breda , simply often known as NAC, is a Dutch professional football club, based in Breda, Netherlands. NAC Breda play in the Rat Verlegh Stadium, named after their most important player, Antoon 'Rat' Verlegh. They play in the Dutch Eredivisie and are known by the fierce and fanatic support of...

, before retiring in 1986.

Coaching career

While still a professional player, Meijer began his coaching career, managing a number of amateur teams in the Hoofdklasse

Hoofdklasse

The Hoofdklasse is the 2nd highest league of amateur football in the Netherlands, and the fourth tier in general.-Background:The league is divided into two sections: Saturday and Sunday. This is a result of the traditional pillarisation , the segregation of Dutch society. The Saturday-clubs are by...

, including VV Strijen, DCV and Hermes DVS. Meijer then became a coach at Feyenoord between 1990 and 2003, and he spent two spells as caretaker manager in 1995 and 1997. After a brief spell in Finland with Hämeenlinna

FC Hämeenlinna

FC Hämeenlinna is a Finnish football club, based in Hämeenlinna. It currently plays in the Finnish First Division . The club's manager is Teuvo Palkki, and it plays its home matches at Kaurialan Kenttä.The team was formed in 1991....

, Meijer returned to VV Strijen in 2006.