Michael Reiziger will be the coach of the Dutch Juniors from the upcoming season. The KNVB has that on Thursday announced. The 50-year-old former footballer signs a contract for two and a half years, up to and including the European Under-21 Championship in 2025. Reiziger has been an assistant coach with Ajax’s first team for the past four seasons.
Reiziger has previously worked for the KNVB: in 2014 he was an assistant for the Orange squad under 17. He also worked as a youth coach and assistant at Sparta Rotterdam and as head coach of Jong Ajax. There he proved to be able to achieve success with talented players. In 2017, he led his team to the First Division title. It was a first in professional football: a ‘Young team’ has never become champion.
Traveler said he was “happy and honored” with his new job. He called it “a great opportunity to work with the greatest football talents in our country”. The recently appointed director of top football of the KNVB, Nigel de Jong, emphasized Reiziger’s experience in working with top talent: “He has shown that he can get the best out of it.”
At the European Championship under 21 that starts on June 21 and takes place in Georgia and Romania, Traveler’s predecessor, Erwin van der Looi, is still ahead of the group. After the tournament, Reiziger will take over Van der Looi’s duties.