René Meulensteen

Dutch footballer and manager

René Meulensteen
Meulensteen in 2011
Personal information
Full name Reinhard Jozef Petrus Meulensteen[1]
Date of birth (1964-03-25) 25 March 1964 (age 60)[2]
Place of birth Beugen, Netherlands[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
0000 VIOS '38
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1982–1983 VIOS '38
1983–1988 RKVV Volharding
1988–1989 VIOS '38
1989–1991 De Treffers
1991–1993 N.E.C.
Managerial career
1990–1993 NEC (youth)
1993–1999 Qatar U18
1999–2000 Al-Ittihad
2000–2001 Al-Sadd
2001–2006 Manchester United Youth
2005–2006 Manchester United Reserves
2006–2007 Brøndby
2007–2013 Manchester United (first-team coach)
2013 Anzhi Makhachkala (assistant)
2013 Anzhi Makhachkala
2013–2014 Fulham
2016–2017 Maccabi Haifa
2017–2018 Kerala Blasters
2018– Australia (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Reinhard Jozef Petrus "René" Meulensteen (born 25 March 1964) is a Dutch former footballer and coach who is currently assistant coach of the Australia national soccer team.[3] He spent the early parts of his career working in the Netherlands before taking up managerial roles with the Qatari youth team, as well as clubs Al-Ittihad and Al-Sadd. He then spent 12 years, split either side of a year stint at Brøndby, with Premier League side Manchester United in various non-managerial capacities. Following his departure from the club in 2013, Meulensteen was in charge for short spells at Anzhi Makhachkala, Fulham and Maccabi Haifa.

Managerial career

Early career

While still playing, Meulensteen became a youth coach at NEC.[4]

In June 2006, he signed a three-year contract with Danish club Brøndby to become manager of the club, but resigned after six months.[5]

On 18 January 2007, Meulensteen rejoined Manchester United as technical skills development coach mainly to work with the first team. After the departure in July 2008 of their assistant manager, Carlos Queiroz to Portugal as their national team manager, Meulensteen took over as first team coach, with Mike Phelan being promoted to assistant manager. Both assumed their new roles on 13 August 2008.[6]

During his time as first-team coach, he helped Sir Alex Ferguson secure the Premier League title in 2008–09, 2010–11 and 2012–13; the Community Shield in 2008, 2010, 2011, the League Cup in 2008–09 and 2009–10; the UEFA Champions League in 2007–08 and FIFA Club World Cup in 2008.

Manchester United confirmed his departure from the club on 26 June 2013, after incoming manager David Moyes decided to bring in his own coaching team.[7]

On 1 July 2013, Meulensteen signed a contract with Anzhi Makhachkala, joining Guus Hiddink as an assistant coach.[8] Hiddink left Anzhi after only two games into the 2013–14 Russian Premier League season, allowing Meulensteen to step up to head coach.[9] After 16 days in charge, Meulensteen was sacked and replaced by Gadzhi Gadzhiyev.[10]

Fulham

Meulensteen returned to England in November 2013 to take up a coaching position under Martin Jol at Fulham.[11] Less than three weeks later, Jol was sacked by Fulham after five consecutive league defeats, with Meulensteen taking over as manager.[12] His first match as Fulham manager was a 2–1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur on 4 December, where Ashkan Dejagah scored the only goal for Meulensteen's side. Fulham won their first match under Meulensteen days later on 8 December, beating Aston Villa 2–0 with goals from Steve Sidwell and Dimitar Berbatov. On 14 February 2014, Fulham hired Felix Magath to replace Meulensteen as manager, sacking Meulensteen four days later.[13]

In November 2014, he was hired as a consultant by the Philadelphia Union from Major League Soccer.[14]

Maccabi Haifa

On 9 August 2016, Meulensteen was presented as head coach by Maccabi Haifa[15] from Israeli Premier League. His appointment lasted just over six months, and then resigned as head coach on 13 February 2017.[16]

Kerala Blasters

On 14 July 2017, Meulensteen was appointed as head coach of Indian Super League side Kerala Blasters.[17] The club parted ways with Meulensteen after poor start of the season. He resigned as head coach on 2 January 2018.[18]

Personal life

Meulensteen's daughter Pien is a television presenter and reporter in the UK, [19] whilst his son Melle is also a footballer.

Honours

Manager

Al-Ittihad[20]

Al-Sadd[20]

Man United Reserves[20]

Coach

Manchester United[20]

References

  1. ^ "Meulensteen Reinhard Jozef Petrus". Israel Football Association. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Meulensteen: Manager". BDFutbol. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  3. ^ Arnold era commences with confirmation of new Caltex Socceroos staff, Caltex Socceroos, 9 August 2018
  4. ^ (in Danish) We need to f... get there, Brondby, 8 September 2006
  5. ^ (in Danish) René Meulensteen ny cheftræner i Brøndby IF, Brondby, 6 June 2006
  6. ^ Sir Alex names new assistant, Manchester United, 3 September 2008
  7. ^ "Club confirms Rene exit". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. 26 June 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  8. ^ УКРЕПЛЕНИЕ ТРЕНЕРСКОГО ШТАБА, Официальный сайт ФК «Анжи»
  9. ^ Hiddink Resigns as Anzhi Coach
  10. ^ "René Meulensteen shown door at Anzhi Makhachkala after 16 days as coach". The Guardian. 7 August 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  11. ^ "Rene Meulensteen joins Fulham as new head coach". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  12. ^ "Rene Meulensteen replaces sacked Martin Jol at Fulham". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 1 December 2013. Archived from the original on 1 December 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  13. ^ "Rene Meulensteen, Ray Wilkins and Alan Curbishley exit Fulham". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  14. ^ "Philadelphia Union add former Manchester United assistant coach Rene Meulensteen as consultant | MLSsoccer.com". Archived from the original on 17 November 2014.
  15. ^ רנה מולנסטיין מונה למאמן מכבי חיפה. mhaifafc.com (in Hebrew). Maccabi Haifa FC. 9 August 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  16. ^ "Meulensteen leaves Maccabi Haifa". Football Oranje. 13 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  17. ^ Bharali, Abhijit (14 July 2017). "ISL 2017: Kerala Blasters name Rene Meulensteen as head coach". sportskeeda. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  18. ^ "Kerala Blasters coach Rene Meulensteen steps down". New Indian Express. 2 January 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  19. ^ "What's it like to interview Erik ten Hag?". Manutd.com. Manchester United. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  20. ^ a b c d "Rene Mulensteen Bio". Rene Mulensteen Official. Retrieved 12 February 2023.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to René Meulensteen.
  • Brøndby IF profile
Managerial positions
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FC Anzhi Makhachkalamanagers
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Kerala Blasters FCmanagers
(c) = caretaker manager; (p) = player-manager