United enlists some Dutch courage
Updated July 5, 2010 15:23:00

Rini Coolen (ABC News)
Map: Adelaide 5000 Related Story: Vidmar quits Adelaide for national duty
Former Dutch Premier league and first division coach Rini Coolen has been appointed Adelaide United coach for two years.

Coolen admits he still has a lot of homework to do about the Reds and the A-League competition.

He says he will be more of a manager for the team, delegating significant coaching responsibilities to assistant Phil Stubbins.

Adelaide United chief executive Sam Ciccarello says Stubbins is disappointed not to have been given the job.

"There's no question he's feeling a little bit raw at the moment," he said.

"For us, Phil's done an exceptional job with Adelaide United in the role that he's played over the last three years and over the last five or six weeks taking the reigns over from Aurelio [Vidmar].

"We see Phil as a continuing and very important part of Adelaide United."

Coolen is the replacement for Aurelio Vidmar, who has heading off to the Socceroos and Olympic team preparations.

[size=7]Reds appoint Dutchman as new Head Coach[/size]
Monday, 5 July 2010

Adelaide United FC has appointed Dutchman Rini Coolen as the club’s new Head Coach for the next two years.

Following an extensive search and selection process, which included a host number of overseas candidates, Coolen was awarded the Reds’ top job and replaces the departed Aurelio Vidmar, who has taken up a position with the Qantas Socceroos’ coaching staff.

With a 12 year professional career as a player, Coolen’s previous coaching experience has all come in his homeland of the Netherlands, and he joins Melbourne Heart Coach John van ‘t Schip, whom he spent time studying with in Holland, as one of two Dutch coaches to take charge of Hyundai A-League clubs.

Coolen is Adelaide United’s first foreign coach and Reds’ CEO Sam Ciccarello believes he is the perfect fit for the club moving forward.

“We found Rini to be the perfect fit for Adelaide United. He’s got great football experience in a country that has produced many great coaches and players,” Ciccarello said.

“Rini ticked all of the boxes. He’s got high level experience both as a player and in the coaching and development area. He’s young and ambitious, we feel the personal characteristics of Rini will fit the culture of Adelaide United, so it was a pretty confident decision at the end of the day that we made.”

Coolen’s coaching journey saw him undertake practical periods with former Qantas Socceroos Coach Guus Hiddink, former Liverpool Manager Gerard Houllier and FC Barcelona’s Frank Rijkaard and Henk ten Cate.

Relocation to Australia has always appealed to Coolen and he explored the possibility of coaching in Australia five years ago, but says the timing was not right for him and his family.

However with the challenge of trying to lift United back up the Hyundai A-League table presenting itself, it is an opportunity he is excited about embracing.

“I’m glad to get the opportunity to be the coach of this club,” Coolen said.

“I want to prove myself in this league. I come to Australia hopefully not just for two years, I prefer to stay longer but I think it’s a good start.”

“I’m not a coach who before he starts says we’re going to do this, we’re going to do that. I think it’s important that you have to analyse your squad, what is the quality and possibility of your squad.”

The former FC Twente coach is also keen to play a part in the continual development of football in Australia.

“I think what is most important for me is to help with the development of football in Australia, and it is getting better and better. More coaches want to come over here, better players want to come over, so I want to help for the next steps.”

“Of course I’m a Dutch coach so you think in a Dutch way, and you prefer to play with good organisation, you like to decide what happens on the field with a lot of goal scoring chances, a lot of technical moments, not too many high balls, nice football.”

Despite having just a month before the start of the Hyundai A-League 2010/11 Season, Coolen will take time to analyse his squad and will not jump into making drastic changes.

“I think if you are a good coach you need to analyse your players and see what they can do, and I have to find out what the possibilities are,” Coolen said.

While he admits three weeks preparation is not ideal, Coolen claims he will do his utmost with the assistance of Phil Stubbins, to make sure the Reds are ready for their opening match of the season against the Newcastle Jets on August 6.

Coolen complemented the coaching staff in his assessment of the squad, particularly the work of caretaker coach Phil Stubbins, not only during the current pre-season, but during Stubbins’ three years at the club.

“They are in good hands now, I’m very happy that they have a good squad at this moment…I had a good meeting with Phil (Stubbins), he’s a really good coach and that’s what I prefer, a coach like Phil with a lot of ambition,” Coolen said.

“I see him (Stubbins) as a first team coach, I don’t call him an assistant coach, that’s the way I want to work. So he’s working with the team and I leave tomorrow, but it’s no problem, they continue working and when I come back there is still three weeks to prepare the team for the first game.”

“I like to delegate. I’m more a kind of manager. I don’t say I’m the boss, I don’t see it that way. I decide what happens and I’m responsible for everything that happens but I want to give the coaching staff a lot of responsibility.”

Coolen will fly back to Holland tomorrow to finalise arrangements before returning prior to the Reds’ pre-season friendly against the Wellington Phoenix on July 16, and he has stated he will spend a number of days observing the squad before tweaking parts of the Reds’ game ‘where necessary’ ahead of the season.

Rini Coolen
Date of Birth: 10 Feb 1967
Place of Birth: Arnhem, Netherlands
Coaching History: 2008-2010 RBC Roosendaal (Dutch 1st Division), 2006/07 AGOVV Apeldoorn (Dutch 1st Division), 2004-2006 FC Twente (Dutch Premier League)
Trainer History: 1999-2004 FC Twente, 1996-1999 Heracles Almelo
Playing History: 1994-1996 AZ (Netherlands), 1990-1994 Heracles Almelo (Netherlands), 1989-1990 De Graafschap (Netherlands), 1998-1999 Heracles Almelo (Netherlands), 1984-1988 Go Ahead Eagles
Education: Bachelor of Sports Management
UEFA Pro Licence
Undertaken practical periods with Guus Hiddink at PSV, Gerard Houllier at Liverpool, and Frank Rijkaard and Henk ten Cate at FC Barcelona
Honours (all with FC Twente): 2006 Runner Up Dutch play-offs for UEFA Cup qualification, 2005 Nomination Duty Trainer of the Year, 2004 Runner Up Dutch Cup, 2001 UEFA Cup, 2001 Runner Up Dutch Super Cup, 2001 Winner Dutch Cup

Source: http://www.adelaideunited.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=34096

God Ticketek shit me
First of all he number to call on the letter we were sent was wrong
When I finally got through to someone and enquired about changing my seast she was completely useless
she knew less about it than I did and as we all know she isnt in Adelaide anyways\I just gave up
I will try again later and hope to speak to someone else
She didnt even have access to a seating plan for Hindmarsh or anything so how on earth would she be able to help me get different seats

Member no# 2121
PAX 858

You win...
I didnt join till season 3 (at a guess) though I used to go alot
I was still tryna be a musician 5 years ago so weekends were kinda hit and miss...
That's my excuse and Im sticking to it :)

It is such a pain that Hindmarsh have opted to use Ticketek, AUFC is getting shafted by this! I called AUFC about not getting my supporter pack and was given the 1300 number, so I called it and it didn't work. Called AUFC back and told them so they found me a direct number, called it and they had it switched to their night message. Called AUFC back again and told them about it so they got the membership manager on to it. Called the direct number again and got through to a very helpfull lady who got my member account activated on Ticketek, corrected my postal address for my membership pack and express posted it to me so I received it today.

Apart from the final good experience I am not happy with Ticketek.

BTW guys let us know your member numbers! I want to know what the highest and lowest number is amongst us :) Mine is 619 :D

I went direct to the club to organise a change in seats. The guy at the club store was really helpful. He said that it will be a first-come-first-serve basis, as all seats are held until the first kickoff. Asked me where I preferred to sit (as in which deck), and will let me know by email once its sorted out.

Shit I wanted to change my seat, but the thought of having to have a new card printed and sent to me by Tiketek put me off. :roll:

BTW does anyone know if we can use these cards for WP & Perth pre-seaon games - or do we just rock up and buy tix?

Edited by redcup: 6/7/2010 03:53:33 PM

When I bought my membership online the other day, I'm pretty sure it listed those two friendlies as included with the membership. Not 100% sure but pretty confident that's what I saw.

I have asked AUFC if they can release to us the membership figures as a way of promoting the club, they are checking with their membership manager :D

Gonna head down to Con Makris Park tonight for the friendly. Anyone else going? I wanna see what Stubbins is going to do even though Coolen has insisted on the Dutch way. :p