Kuyt wins promotion after just 3 MONTHS in charge of Belgian 2nd division side

[Oyedibu Fikayo Odunayo]

Kuyt wins promotion after just 3 MONTHS in charge of Belgian 2nd division side.
Former Liverpool star turned manager Dirk Kuyt has bolstered his coaching credentials after helping his current club win promotion after just three months in charge.

The 43-year-old joined Liverpool from Netherlands side Feyenoord in 2006, staying with the side for six years until his departure for Fenerbahce in 2012.

Former forward Kuyt began his managerial career at his boyhood amateur side Quick Boys, and served as under-19 head coach at Feyenoord, and ADO Den Haag until his move to Belgian second division side Beerschot in December 2023.

But the coach hit the ground running, and despite signing a contract until the end of the season has already helped them secure a berth in the Belgian Pro League for their 2024-25 campaign.

The Antwerp club – who are Sheffield United’s sister club – were relegated in 2021, and were forced to hunt for a new manager after their then-coach Andras Wieland was recruited by Austrian side LASK.

Sitting second when Kuyt was appointed, Sunday’s match saw Beerschot seal a 2-1 victory against Oostende and clinch the division title with one game left to play.

Goals from former Stoke winger Thibaud Verlinden and D’Margio Wright-Phillips – son of former Chelsea and Manchester City player Shaun and grandson of Arsenal legend Ian Wright – help cap their promotion.

The former Holland international, who is thought to be offered a contract extension in the wake of his success, said that his side had ‘huge’ potential.

‘I will look to the future. I want to develop as a coach, but that could be with Beerschot,’ Kuyt said after the final whistle, as per the Sun.

‘The potential here is huge. There is still a way to go, but the club is back at the top level once more.

‘It has been a tough challenge. Promotion was a must, there was no plan B, but no one expected us to go up.

‘Everyone at the club has overachieved – players, staff and management. I am proud to be part of it.’

Liverpool is unlikely to be considering Kuyt as a candidate at this stage in his managerial career, but the club were thwarted in their pursuit of a player-turned-coach who featured alongside him at Anfield – Xabi Alonso.

The Bayer Leverkusen head coach is enjoying an unprecedented season of success, with his Bundesliga side unbeaten in all competitions and on track to end Bayern Munich’s stranglehold on the league title.

But the Merseyside club’s frontrunner to replace outgoing head coach Jurgen Klopp disappointed both Liverpool and rival suitors Bayern with the announcement that he is set to honour his contract and stay at Bayer Leverkusen next season.

Alonso is then reportedly under consideration to replace the manager of another of his former clubs, Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid.