André Ooijer returns as assistant coach of PSV. The fifty-year-old former defender left in 2023, but now fills the vacant spot of Stijn Schaars and will assist head coach Peter Bosz.
Schaars has been Bosz’s assistant for the past two seasons. But the 44-year-old former international is moving to Jong PSV and is on his own for the first time in his coaching career.
The resulting vacancy in the PSV staff is being filled by Ooijer. The 55-time Oranje international had to think for a moment when he was approached by Earnest Stewart, the director of football affairs at PSV.
“Initially, I said no to his request to become assistant coach because I had planned to let football rest for a while,” Ooijer responds on the club website. “But I promised to think about it.”
After that, Stewart was able to convince him to return to the Philips Stadium. “The moment I put the phone down, it immediately started to itch and I had a feeling of: this could be very interesting.”
A conversation with Bosz removed the last bit of doubt
After leaving PSV in 2023, Ooijer started the company Marketmix with his partner Mariëlle. That made it extra difficult for the former defender to rejoin PSV. A conversation with Bosz then removed the last bit of doubt.
“I have a lot of fresh enthusiasm and energy to make this a success. And Marketmix is now in such good shape that my full focus can be on PSV. After two years outside of football, I am more than ready to step back onto the field, and that is at the club that is very deep in my heart.”
Ooijer already served PSV as a player for almost ten seasons, from 1998 to 2006 and in the 2009/2010 season. After his playing career, he held various positions within the club. Between 2020 and 2023, he was already assistant coach of the main squad, under Roger Schmidt and Ruud van Nistelrooij.
Rob Maas, Theo Lucius and goalkeeper coach Kevin Begois complete the PSV technical staff.