U-turn in director search
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This article appeared on Transfermarkt in its first version on February 25th. at 11:36 a.m. and was subsequently updated.
Surprising turnaround at Feyenoord Rotterdam: Ex-Schalke coach Kees van Wonderen is not returning to take over the position of technical director. According to consistent media reports, there were advanced discussions, but in the end there were said to be major differences between the Eredivisie club and the 57-year-old with regard to the exact interpretation of his role in the club.
According to “Voetbal International”, Feyenoord announced that van Wonderen’s involvement “is not currently under discussion” and that currently “is not the right time for collaboration.” The Rotterdam team will continue their search for a new technical director who will relieve Dennis te Kloese of his dual role. The 51-year-old, who is controversial internally, initially joined Feyenoord as general director at the beginning of 2022 and also took on the duties of technical director six months later.
In 1999, the former central defender van Wonderen became champion with Feyenoord and in 2002 he won the UEFA Cup. He also took his first steps after his active career in Rotterdam, where he initially worked as a scout in the 2004/05 season before entering the coaching business at VV Bennekom. This was followed by positions at Twente Enschede, in the youth and men’s divisions of the Dutch association, at Heerenveen and the Go Ahead Eagles, among others. In October 2024, the coach joined Schalke 04 abroad for the first time. His tenure in Gelsenkirchen only lasted seven months, with an average points average of 1.2 points, van Wonderen had to retire after 25 games.
The Dutchman has been without a club since then. At Feyenoord, which is 17 points behind league leaders PSV in the championship, huge tasks await the alternative to van Wonderen. On the one hand, a decision has to be made about the future of coach Robin van Persie, and on the other hand, the Rotterdam team has the largest squad in the Eredivisie with 33 players.
