Koeman Appointed Southampton Manager

Southampton have named former Netherlands international Ronald Koeman as their new boss.

The 51-year-old, who resigned from his position as Feyenoord head coach in May after guiding the Dutch club to a second-place finish in the Eredevise, has agreed a three-year deal with the ‘Saints’.

He replaces Mauricio Porchetino, who left the St. Mary’s Stadium to take over Tottenham Hotspur last month.

Ronald Koeman Replaces Mauricio Porchettino at Southampton.
Ronald Koeman Replaces Mauricio Porchettino at Southampton.

“Southampton have a talented first-team squad, a world-class academy and the infrastructure to sustain success in the Premier League,” said Koeman.

“The opportunity to continue the development of this famous football club was simply too good to turn down. I cannot wait to get started.”

His brother Erwin has been appointed as assistant after he quit his coaching role at RKC Waalwijk.

The pair will be joined by Jan Kluitenberg, as assistant first team coach. Kluitenberg worked with Koeman at Vitesse Arnhem, Benfica, AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord.

Southampton’s existing first team support staff completes the new set of faces in the Premier League club’s dugout as its search for a goalkeeper trainer continues into the near future.

Koeman won the 1988 European Championship with the Oranje. He lifted the then European Cup- now Champions League- with PSV Eindhoven in 1988 and Barcelona in 1992. He also won domestic league titles in the Netherlands and Spain during his professional playing career which spanned from 1980 to 1997.

He represented the Netherlands in the 1990 and 1994 World Cups and scored 14 goals in 78 international appearances.

He has coached teams like Vitesse, Ajax, Benfica, PSV, Valencia and AZ Alkmaar, before joining Feyenoord in 2011.