‘He was the dream candidate’

Peter Bosz is the new trainer of PSV, the club from Eindhoven has announced. The 59-year-old trainer signed a three-year contract.

“From the first moment I got a warm feeling,” Bosz said on his new employer’s website. “Both PSV and I are hungry to perform. Last season we won two prizes, but our goal is to become national champions. That is what we are going for.”

Bosz is the successor to Ruud van Nistelrooij, who suddenly quit at the end of May with one league game to play. The former striker decided to leave after it was leaked in the media that some players no longer had confidence in him.

Earnest Stewart, technical director of PSV, is pleased that the search for a new coach has been completed in three weeks: “He was the dream candidate.”

PSV and Bosz have had extensive discussions recently about the vision, playing style and player group. Bosz: “I think the combination between the selection and my way of playing can bring success. PSV has had periods in the past when they dominated Dutch soccer. I want to revive those times.”

Bosz is partially taking his own staff to Brabant. Rob Maas, born in Eindhoven, played in the youth of PSV, will become assistant. He was the same during Bosz’s period at Vitesse, Bayer Leverkusen and Olympique Lyonnais. So will physical and performance coach Terry Peters, who also worked with Bosz in Germany and France.

With Bosz, the number two side of last premier league season opts for an experienced coach. The eight-time Oranje international was previously head coach at home with De Graafschap, Heracles Almelo, Vitesse, Ajax and abroad with Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel), Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) and Olympique Lyon (France). At the latter club, he was fired last October.

With his arrival at PSV, Bosz has now worked at the entire traditional top three in the Netherlands. He played in Feyenoord’s midfield and also served the Rotterdam club for three years as technical director. In the 2016/17 season, Bosz was coach at Ajax.

In his season at Ajax, the club reached the final of the Europa League with attacking soccer, in which Manchester United was too strong. Bosz is often praised for the adventurous style of play in which he allows his teams to play, but at the same time he is also criticized for the few prizes it yields. As a coach, he has won only one title: the first division championship with Heracles in 2005.

With PSV next season, Bosz will have to start early. On August 8 or 9 and August 15 or 16, the club plays in the third preliminary round of the Champions League. PSV’s first training session under Bosz is scheduled for July 3.