Willem II Tilburg
Encyclopedia
Willem II (ˈʋɪ.ləm ˈtʋeː), also known as Willem II Tilburg, is a football club based in Tilburg
Tilburg
Tilburg is a landlocked municipality and a city in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of Noord-Brabant.Tilburg municipality also includes the villages of Berkel-Enschot and Udenhout....

, North Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...

, Netherlands
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...

. The team was founded on 12 August 1896 as Tilburgia. On 12 January 1898, the club was renamed Willem II, after Dutch king William II of the Netherlands
William II of the Netherlands
William II was King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Duke of Limburg from 7 October 1840 until his death in 1849.- Early life and education :...

 (reign from 1840 until 1849), who, as Prince of Orange
House of Orange-Nassau
The House of Orange-Nassau , a branch of the European House of Nassau, has played a central role in the political life of the Netherlands — and at times in Europe — since William I of Orange organized the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule, which after the Eighty Years' War...

 and commander of the Dutch army
Royal Netherlands Army
The Royal Netherlands Army is the land forces element of the military of the Netherlands.-Short history:The Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, but its origins date back to 1572, when the so-called Staatse Leger was raised...

, had his military headquarters in Tilburg during the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

 uprising of 1830.

Notable former players for the club include Dutch internationals Jaap Stam
Jaap Stam
Jakob "Jaap" Stam is a retired Dutch football player who was twice voted best defender in the 1998–99 and 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League. He played for several European clubs like PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, S.S. Lazio, A.C. Milan and AFC Ajax before retiring in October 2007...

 and Marc Overmars
Marc Overmars
Marc Overmars is a retired Dutch footballer. He is best known as a right-footed left winger, although he is able to use both his feet with equal precision and power...

 plus the Finn Sami Hyypiä
Sami Hyypiä
Sami Tuomas Hyypiä is a retired European Cup winning Finnish footballer who played in the centre back position. He last played for German Bundesliga side Bayer 04 Leverkusen and was the captain of the Finland national football team. He joined Leverkusen in summer 2009, ending a ten year spell at...

. The club's shirt consists of red-white-blue vertical stripes, inspired by the colours of the flag of the Netherlands
Flag of the Netherlands
The flag of the Netherlands is a horizontal tricolour of red, white, and blue. Since 1937, the flag has officially been the national flag of the Netherlands and of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.-Description:...

. Willem II plays its home matches in the Koning Willem II Stadion, also named after the King. The stadium, opened on May 31, 1995, has a capacity of 14,700 spectators. The average attendance in 2004/05 was 12,500 people.

Despite never winning the Eredivisie, the club came second in 1998-99, qualifying for the 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...

 as a result.

History

Willem II were the first champions of the Dutch league
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....

 after professional football was introduced in 1954–55.

The club has won three national titles (1916, 1952 and 1955) and two national cup
KNVB Cup
The KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...

s (1944 and 1963). In 1987, 1990 and 1999, Willem II were voted Dutch Club of the Year. In 1999, a second place in the league guaranteed the club a 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...

 berth. In the first group stage (Group G), Willem II were eliminated. They scored 2 points in 6 matches. In 1963, Willem II lost to Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...

 (7–2 on aggregate) in the first round of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...

. In 1998–99, Willem II competed in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...

. After beating Dinamo Tbilisi
FC Dinamo Tbilisi
FC Dinamo Tbilisi is a Georgian football team, based in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia.Dinamo Tbilisi was one of the most prominent clubs in Soviet football and a major contender in the Soviet Top League almost immediately after it was established in 1936...

 of Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...

 6–0 on aggregate in the first round, Willem II lost to Spanish side Real Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....

 in the second round, 4–1 on aggregate. After reaching the Dutch cup final in 2004 (4–0 loss against PSV Eindhoven), Willem II qualified again for the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...

, in which they lost to French side AS Monaco in the first round (5–1 on aggregate). The fans of Willem II have close relations with the fans of English Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...

 club Bristol City. Some Willem II fans were seen in the 'Eastend' (Bristol City's most popular stand) for their game against Sheffield Wednesday on the 31st October 2009, there were songs sung about Willem II.

After the 2010/2011 season, Willem II was relegated from the Eredivisie for the first time in 24 years.

Honours

  • 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....

    • Winners (3): 1916, 1952, 1955
  • Eerste Divisie
    Eerste Divisie
    The Eerste Divisie is the second-highest division of football in the Netherlands. It is linked with the top-level Eredivisie via a promotion/relegation system. It is also known as the Jupiler League due to sponsorship, which is the same name as the top league in Belgium...

    • Winners (2): 1957
      Eerste Divisie 1956-57
      The 1956-57 season was the first season in the history of the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of football in the Netherlands. The league had been divided in two, with an Eerste Divisie A and an Eerste Divisie B, each comprising 16 teams...

      , 1965
      Eerste Divisie 1964-65
      The Dutch Eerste Divisie in the 1964/1965 season was contested by 16 teams. Willem II won the championship for the second time.-New entrants:Promoted from the Tweede Divisie 1963–64:* Alkmaar '54* NECRelegated from the Eredivisie 1963-64:...

  • KNVB Cup
    KNVB Cup
    The KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...

    • Winners (2): 1944, 1963

Domestic Results

Below is a table with Willem II's domestic results since the introduction of the 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....

 in 1956.

Current squad

As of 1 August 2011

For recent transfers, see List of Dutch football transfers summer 2011

On loan

Notable former players

Maikel Aerts
Maikel Aerts
Maikel Aerts is a Dutch goalkeeper who currently plays for Hertha BSC.-Career:He started his career at FC Den Bosch...

 Bud Brocken
Bud Brocken
Bud Brocken is a retired Dutch football player who played for Willem II, FC Groningen and FC Den Bosch in the Netherlands, as well as with Birmingham City in England. He also won five caps for the Dutch national side....

 Romano Denneboom
Romano Denneboom
Romano Joël Denneboom is a Dutch professional footballer who is currently unattached.- Club career :Born in Schiedam, Denneboom began his career in amateur football with Hekelingen and VV Spijkenisse. After turning professional in 1998 with Heerenveen, Denneboom has also played in the Netherlands...

 Huub Loeffen
Huub Loeffen
Huub Loeffen is a retired football striker from the Netherlands.-Career:In 2001, Loeffen retired from professional football due to injuries at age 29. He had appeared in 216 league matches for TOP Oss, SBV Vitesse, FC Zwolle and Willem II Tilburg.-External links:*...

 Jean-Paul van Gastel
Jean-Paul van Gastel
Jacobus Johannes Martinus Paulus van Gastel is a retired football midfielder from the Netherlands, who obtained five caps for the Dutch national team, scoring twice.-Club career:...

 Jack de Gier
Jack de Gier
Jack de Gier is a retired football striker from the Netherlands, who made his professional debut in the 1988/89 season for BVV Den Bosch....

 Frank Demouge
Frank Demouge
Frank Demouge is a Dutch footballer who currently plays for Eredivisie club FC Utrecht.- Biography :Demouge started his professional career at NEC, where he played for four seasons. Out of these, his first season was his best, when he scored 7 times in 25 matches...

 Kew Jaliens
Kew Jaliens
Kew Raffique Jaliens is a Dutch footballer, who plays as a defender for Wisła Kraków.-Sparta:Kew Jaliens started his career at Sparta and made his league debut against FC Groningen at age of 18. Jaliens became a regular in the starting 11...

 Ruben Kogeldans
Ruben Kogeldans
Ruben Kogeldans was a Dutch-Suriname footballer. During his career he served VVV-Venlo and Willem II Tilburg. He died at the age of 22, when on June 7, 1989 he was killed in the Surinam Airways Flight PY764 air crash in Paramaribo. His father was also a footballer and was played for the Suriname...

 † Bert Konterman
Bert Konterman
Bert Konterman is a former professional footballer from the Netherlands. He retired in June 2004.Konterman's career began with the local amateur club SC Rouveen, then went on to play for clubs in the Dutch Eredivisie including FC Zwolle, Cambuur, Willem II and Feyenoord, until he was snapped up by...

 Michel Kreek
Michel Kreek
Michel Kreek is a former Dutch footballer, who played one international match for the Netherlands national football team: on February 22, 1995 in the lost friendly against Portugal.-Honours:Ajax...

 John Lammers Denny Landzaat
Denny Landzaat
Denny Domingoes Landzaat is a Dutch footballer who currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Dutch Eredivisie club FC Twente.-Early life:Landzaat is born and raised in Amsterdam, Netherlands...


Joris Mathijsen Oscar Moens
Oscar Moens
Oscar Moens is a former Dutch footballer who currently has a commercial position at Sparta Rotterdam.-Early career:...

 Marc Overmars
Marc Overmars
Marc Overmars is a retired Dutch footballer. He is best known as a right-footed left winger, although he is able to use both his feet with equal precision and power...

 Martijn Reuser
Martijn Reuser
Martijn Franciscus Reuser is a former Dutch footballer who last played for NAC Breda in the Eredivisie.Reuser began his career at Dutch side Ajax, and having joined the side at youth level, made the step up to play in the first team. He was a skillful, goalscoring midfielder who looked capable of...

 Geert de Vlieger
Geert De Vlieger
Geert de Vlieger is a retired Belgian football goalkeeper.He started his career in his home country playing for Anderlecht and Beveren before moving to Holland and playing for Willem II for four years between 2000 and 2004...

 Jan van Roessel
Jan van Roessel
Jan van Roessel was a Dutch football player.-Club career:A big striker and fierce header of the ball, Van Roessel was picked up at LONGA by Willem II in Tilburg in 1951, and won the 1952 Dutch league title and in 1955 the first professional Eredivisie championship...

 † Jaap Stam
Jaap Stam
Jakob "Jaap" Stam is a retired Dutch football player who was twice voted best defender in the 1998–99 and 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League. He played for several European clubs like PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, S.S. Lazio, A.C. Milan and AFC Ajax before retiring in October 2007...

 Mariano Bombarda
Mariano Bombarda
Mariano Bombarda is a retired football striker from Argentina, who was born in Spain and raised in the Netherlands....

 Tom Caluwé
Tom Caluwé
Tom Caluwé is a Belgian footballer who currently plays for Londerzeel SK.-Career:Caluwé is a midfielder who was born in Rumst and made his debut in professional football, being part of the KV Mechelen squad in the 1996-97 season...

 Moussa Dembélé
Moussa Dembélé
Moussa Sidi Yaya Dembélé is a Belgian footballer who currently plays as an Attacking Midfielder for Fulham in the English Premier League. He has a Malian father and a Belgian mother.-Early career:...

 Cristiano
Cristiano dos Santos Rodrigues
Cristiano dos Santos Rodrigues , commonly known as Cristiano, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a striker for South Australian Premier League side White City FC.-Early career:...

 Tomáš Galásek Jose Valencia Murillo
José Valencia Murillo
José Luis Valencia Murillo is an Ecuadorian footballer who plays for LDU Quito. Prior to playing in Ecuador, he played for a number of clubs in Germany , Netherlands , Uruguay , and Ecuador .He played one match for the Ecuadorian national team in 2006.-Honors:LDU...


Sami Hyypiä
Sami Hyypiä
Sami Tuomas Hyypiä is a retired European Cup winning Finnish footballer who played in the centre back position. He last played for German Bundesliga side Bayer 04 Leverkusen and was the captain of the Finland national football team. He joined Leverkusen in summer 2009, ending a ten year spell at...

 Joonas Kolkka
Joonas Kolkka
Joonas Einari Kolkka is a Finnish footballer who currently plays for Willem II in the Netherlands. He has played as a left winger most of his career, but can also play on the right wing.-Club career:...

 Veli Lampi
Veli Lampi
Veli Lampi is a Finnish football player, currently playing for Ukrainian club FC Arsenal Kyiv. After a great success with Willem II Lampi moved to Ukraine....

 Mohamed Sylla
Mohamed Sylla (footballer born 1971)
Mohamed Sylla was a Guinean football player. He is not to be confused with compatriots Mohamed Ofei Sylla and Mohammed 'Momo' Sylla.-Club career:...

 † Saïd Boutahar
Saïd Boutahar
Saïd Boutahar is a Dutch footballer of Moroccan descent who currently plays in Qatar for Al-Wakrah.-Club career:Boutahar is a midfielder who was born in Rotterdam and made his debut in professional football, being part of the Feyenoord Rotterdam squad in the 2001–02 season...

 Adil Ramzi
Adil Ramzi
Adil Ramzi is a Moroccan footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for the Dutch club Roda JC Kerkrade.-International career:He was a member of the Moroccan national team. So far, he has played 26 international matches for Morocco, and scored twice. He also played in 1997 FIFA World Youth...

 Tarik Sektioui
Tarik Sektioui
Tarik Sektioui is a retired Moroccan footballer. A right winger, he was best known for his good control of the ball, technique, and speed, and spent most of his professional career in the Netherlands and Portugal.-Club career:...

 Jimmy Calderwood
Jimmy Calderwood
James "Jimmy" Calderwood is a Scottish former footballer and currently without a club having recently been manager of Ross County. Calderwood played for English clubs Birmingham City and Cambridge United and Dutch clubs Sparta Rotterdam, Willem II Tilburg, Roda JC and Heracles Almelo...

 Scott Calderwood
Scott Calderwood
Scott Calderwood is a retired Scottish professional footballer, the son of Jimmy Calderwood. He played for a number of Dutch clubs, including Willem II, Heracles Almelo and SV Babberich....

 Earnie Stewart Ibrahim Kargbo
Ibrahim Kargbo
Ibrahim Kargbo is a Sierra Leonean international football player, who currently plays for FK Baku from Azerbaijan.-Career:...

Jatto Ceesay
Jatto Ceesay
Jatto Ceesay is a Gambian football striker who currently plays for Cypriot club Othellos Athienou.Ceesay has also played for Wallidan Sens , Willem II Tilburg , Al-Hilal , AEK Larnaca , FC Omniworld and AEP Paphos .-Career:Ceesay started to play football as a small boy with the Gambian...



Managers

Year Manager
1980-82   Bert Jacobs
Bert Jacobs
Bert Jacobs was a football manager from the Netherlands, who played for HFC Haarlem. Born in Zandvoort, he started a career as a football coach as a 27-year old when he became the head coach of Velox from Utrecht...

1982   George Knobel
George Knobel
George Knobel is a former Dutch football manager.He was the coach of the Netherlands national football team for 15 matches from 1974 to 1976. He also coached Dutch clubs AFC Ajax, and MVV. He had a brief stint with Seiko SA in Hong Kong. -External links:*...

1982-84   Jan Brouwer
Jan Brouwer
Jan Brouwer is a Dutch football manager who is the manager of Angolan side Sagrada Esperança, a position he undertook in April 2008.He previously managed the Zambia national team in 2001, Petro Atlético in 2004, and Primeiro de Agosto from 2004 to 2007, who he had led to the title in 2006, their...

1984-85   Jan Notermans
1985-90   Piet de Visser
Piet de Visser
Piet de Visser is a Dutch football manager and scout. He is best known for scouting players like Romário and Ronaldo and successfully bringing them to Europe. He is currently a personal adviser to Roman Abramovich, the owner of the English club Chelsea F.C...

1990-91   Adrie Koster
1991   Piet de Visser
Piet de Visser
Piet de Visser is a Dutch football manager and scout. He is best known for scouting players like Romário and Ronaldo and successfully bringing them to Europe. He is currently a personal adviser to Roman Abramovich, the owner of the English club Chelsea F.C...

1991-95   Jan Reker
Jan Reker
Jan Reker is a Dutch former football manager and currently the chief executive of Dutch football team PSV Eindhoven...

1995–96   Theo de Jong
Theo de Jong
Theodorus Jacob de Jong is a former Dutch footballer, and now coach.During his career he played for NEC Nijmegen and Feyenoord Rotterdam...

1996-97   Jimmy Calderwood
Jimmy Calderwood
James "Jimmy" Calderwood is a Scottish former footballer and currently without a club having recently been manager of Ross County. Calderwood played for English clubs Birmingham City and Cambridge United and Dutch clubs Sparta Rotterdam, Willem II Tilburg, Roda JC and Heracles Almelo...

1997-00   Co Adriaanse
Co Adriaanse
Jacobus "Co" Adriaanse is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who is currently the head coach of Eredivisie team FC Twente.-Playing career:...

2000   Hans Verèl
Hans Verèl
Hans Verèl is a former football defender and midfielder from the Netherlands, who played for Sparta Rotterdam, SVV and FC Den Bosch...

2000-02   Hans Westerhof
Hans Westerhof
Hans Westerhof is a Dutch football coach and currently technical director at Pachuca.As a player, Westerhof played for BV Veendam and BVO Cambuur of the Dutch First Division...

2002-04   Mark Wotte
Mark Wotte
Mark Wotte is a football manager from the Netherlands, who has managed teams in the Netherlands, Egypt, Qatar, England and Romania. He is currently the performance director of the Scottish Football Association....

2004   André Wetzel
André Wetzel
André Wetzel is a Dutch former footballer and manager who is now working as a technical director of Al-Jazira Club in the UAE Football League.-Playing career:...

2004-05   Robert Maaskant
Robert Maaskant
Robert Patrick Maaskant is a retired Dutch football midfielder and current manager.-Career:He played for Go Ahead Eagles , FC Emmen , Motherwell F.C...

2005-06   Kees Zwamborn
Kees Zwamborn
Kees Zwamborn is a former football defender from the Netherlands.From 1978 to 1985 Zwamborn played both in the Dutch Eredivisie and Eerste divisie as well as in the German Bundesliga and NAC Breda...

2006-07   Dennis van Wijk
Dennis van Wijk
Dennis Johannes van Wijk is a Dutch football coach and former football player. He is the current coach of the R.A.E.C. Mons in the Belgian Pro League....

2007-09   Andries Jonker
Andries Jonker
Andries Jonker is a Dutch football manager currently coaching Bayern Munich II. He came to Bayern as assistant to Louis van Gaal, and took over as head coach on an interim basis from April 2011 until the end of the 2010–11 season...

2009-10   Alfons Groenendijk
Alfons Groenendijk
Alfons Groenendijk is a former Dutch footballer, and now a manager, serving as head coach of the Dutch team FC Den Bosch.-Career:...

2010   Arno Pijpers
Arno Pijpers
Arnoldus Dick Pijpers is a Dutch football coach. He worked for the Royal Dutch Football Association as a youth coach, before taking up a dual role in being the coach of Estonian club FC Flora Tallinn and the Estonia national football team. After the end of his contract, he joined Eredivisie club...

2010   Theo de Jong
Theo de Jong
Theodorus Jacob de Jong is a former Dutch footballer, and now coach.During his career he played for NEC Nijmegen and Feyenoord Rotterdam...

2010-2011   Gert Heerkes
Gert Heerkes
Gert Heerkes is af Dutch football manager currently in charge of Eerste Divisie club SC Veendam since July 2011.He has also been in charge of professional teams Willem II and Heracles Almelo, and also served as assistant coach at SC Heerenveen during the 2009–10 season.- External links :*...

2011   John Feskens (interim)
2011-   Jurgen Streppel
Jurgen Streppel
Jurgen Streppel is a retired football player from the Netherlands, who is to be the current head coach of Willem II.-Club career:As a player he served Helmond Sport, RKC Waalwijk, and Telstar.-References:...


External links

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