Wilhelmus ("Wim") Jacobus Koeverman

He has been unveiled as the new international performance Director.

http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=c...k=view&id=3323

Wilhelmus ("Wim") Jacobus Koevermans (born June 28, 1960 in Vlaardingen, Zuid-Holland) is a former football central defender from The Netherlands, who earned one cap for the Netherlands national football team. He was a member of the Dutch team that won the European title at the 1988 European Football Championship in West Germany, although he didn't play under manager Rinus Michels.

Koevermans played for Fortuna Vlaardingen, FC Vlaardingen, Fortuna Sittard, and FC Groningen. He ended his professional career in 1990. After that he became a football manager, who worked for clubs like NEC Nijmegen, RBC Roosendaal and MVV Maastricht.

Netherlands squad - UEFA Euro 1988 Winners

thanks to richer for this story

About time, sounds very good.
'Koevermans will take charge of the FAI's new National Academy, the facilities for which chief executive John Delaney said yesterday will be completed "in two to three years", and will oversee the development of youth football in Ireland'.

More quotes from the man about the appointment and his plans here

Can't believe it took over a day for a reply on a very important appointment for the FAI. Sometimes I wonder, are people more interested in chatting about the future of Ian Harte or the perceived history of Mick McCarthy.

Saw this myself yesterday evening on the BBC website.
Good stuff from the FAI, this is certinally a very important appointment. I'd be lying through my teeth if i said i knew much about Wim Koevermans, but considering he has been been employed as a youth coach for Holland (who of course are renown for thier youth development system) since 2002, he would appear to have the right credentials. Best of luck to him.

fantastic appointment ... the knowledge he has gained from being a part of the dutch football model , can only benefit us.

the FAI have made a very good call on getting him on board

judging by this guys track record and stated intentions it looks like the FAI have been reading my posts on this forum about retaining our young players and bringing the majority of our players through the domestic league initially.

Keep up the good work FAI.

Dont mean to be pedantic but he is on a four year contract and his main role will be running the National Academy. John Delooney says that the National Academy will open in three years !

Am I missing something !

It's a good appointment and further evidence that the FAI aren't a complete pack of eejits. His philosophy seems a good one & it makes a lot of sense for us to nurture our best talent on this island as best we can, for as long as we can. Competition for talent has become too intense overseas for our best and brightest to simply up sticks and go to England.

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Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Can't believe it took over a day for a reply on a very important appointment for the FAI. Sometimes I wonder, are people more interested in chatting about the future of Ian Harte or the perceived history of Mick McCarthy.

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Fair play for seeing hte story first! Had just read it but only now have had time to mull through his cv, very impressive and in fairness JD is certainly being very progressive in his / fai's appointments.

We had a top Dutch coach over coaching in Templeoguge Utd (over for a couple of days twice) a number of years ago, (coaching the coaches) and it was a great experience and very educational.

No pointing the finger at anyone in particular it just seems funny that a very important and good appointment by the FAI has so little posts and very little replies whereas lots of "off season" topics get lots of action.

I suppose its kinda like the nice guys and the girls.

Well for some people, the idea of praising an initiative of the FAIs might cause some discomfort at best, and sudden heart failure at worst ;)

Could turn out to be an excellent appointment. It says in the indo article on this appointment that Koevermans will be over everyone other than Trap. That means Givens will have to answer to Koevermans. Good.

All of Ireland's international managers will report to Koevermans with the exception of Giovanni Trapattoni. The intention, however, is that this landmark appointment will make the life of the senior boss much easier.

The tabloids seem to have latched onto a story how his main aim is to ensure qualification for the London Olympics and that Robbie Keane and Damien Duff will serve as overage players. It's mentioned that both players never played at U-21 level and that players bypassing this level is something the FAI want to avoid. I'm not particularly sure why. If a player is of exceptional quality and can immediately benefit the seniors he will be called up.

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Originally Posted by amaccann

Well for some people, the idea of praising an initiative of the FAIs might cause some discomfort at best, and sudden heart failure at worst ;)

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An Irish problem that, begrudgery and all the rest.

THe reality is that John Delaney is actually doing a bloody good job in most areas for Irish Soccer, yet we continue to criticise him for all our ills.

And YES he did push through Stans appointment but how many of us were saying after we beat Sweeden 3-0 at Lansdowne what an inspired choice? At least this time round he seems to have got it right, with the help of his three amigos and others.

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Originally Posted by Greenforever

THe reality is that John Delaney is actually doing a bloody good job in most areas for Irish Soccer, yet we continue to criticise him for all our ills.

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There are a number of people within the FAI doing a good job but I am not sure that I would necessarily give John Delaney the main credit for that. Much of the technical development plan was put together by Brian Kerr and his technical development team and Packie has continued that work.

Delaney will have to prove himself an awful lot more before most people forgive him for his "world class manager appointment". He has a very good PR team and seems to have successfully buried the scandal of how he used Mick McCarthy's contract to fatally weaken Brendan Menton. This man is pretty Machiavellian and I wouldn't trust his too much. There are also too many family connections with the Kilcoyne era for me to ever feel comfortable with him in charge.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Greenforever

THe reality is that John Delaney is actually doing a bloody good job in most areas for Irish Soccer, yet we continue to criticise him for all our ills.

And YES he did push through Stans appointment but how many of us were saying after we beat Sweeden 3-0 at Lansdowne what an inspired choice? At least this time round he seems to have got it right, with the help of his three amigos and others.

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ah man come one
he has pretty much put the FAI into the red with the ticket fiasco, and it now looks likely that the new landsdowne raod will again be owned by the IRFU - back to square one then again where the FAI dont have a home

all these appointments dont impress me at all. Cvs look good - buts thats paper talk isnt it? anyway i will look forward to coming onto this site when it all goes pearshaped:)

And to have dennis O brien invlolved stinks of high heaven

As for my own local town the FAI ploughed a few million into one of the local teams (the cops team) and i can guarantee that its money down the drain, but the real town team (in the centre of the town with the fan base) where all the young fellas play got nothing

Not a big fan of Delaney previously but was the ticket fiasco not his Dad and also do the FAI not own the new LR as much as the IRFU or how is the ownership breaking down there.

The FAI seems to be getting its house in order and things like the above appointment seem to be a step in direction. It is ok to praise somebody without being a fan of that person. In any organisation or any walk of life there are nuances and it is not all black and white and good guys versus bad guys. I would not agree with the way Delaney has gone about his business over the last 10 or so years but in the last year or so he seems to be getting the house in order along with a number of other people. This is encouraging, if not about time.

Hey I don't think the FAI are whiter than white, and I still have a problem with the Dennis O'Brien hoo-ha, but I think credit where credit is due; the FAI do seem to be attempting to modernise & progress itself and structures within the game. Perfect? Hell no, but little appointments like this can build up into something exciting.

What's the problem with the Dennis O'Brien "thing"?
Do people seriously think the panel had to answer to O'Brien before going for Trap?


The planning for this Academy has been in place for years but Delaney at least has given the project a good deal of impetus. That's his job, he is paid well to do that job. No one ever says thanks - it's in the wage packet.
He did well to get about €1m from UEFA and FIFA for the Academy.

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Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Not a big fan of Delaney previously but was the ticket fiasco not his Dad and also do the FAI not own the new LR as much as the IRFU or how is the ownership breaking down there.

The FAI seems to be getting its house in order and things like the above appointment seem to be a step in direction. It is ok to praise somebody without being a fan of that person. In any organisation or any walk of life there are nuances and it is not all black and white and good guys versus bad guys. I would not agree with the way Delaney has gone about his business over the last 10 or so years but in the last year or so he seems to be getting the house in order along with a number of other people. This is encouraging, if not about time.

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I don't think the FAI were ever going to get their hands on Lansdowne Road. Thats a very valuable site owned by the IRFU. As a partner in the stadium company, the FAI has a share in the stadium along with the IRFU. This stadium company will pay the IRFU 800K a year rent. As far as I can figure out, the IRFU still own the ground. The info about the 800K is in the IRFU's Annual Accounts just published.

I'd agree with you about Delaney doing ok recently, but he is still a sleveen - probably what it takes!