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Steijn Set for Heerenveen Thursday, 19th Apr 2018 19:31
VVV-Venlo boss Maurice Steijn, among those to have been linked with the vacant Town job, is close to being appointed manager of fellow Eredivisie side Heerenveen, according to widespread reports in Holland.
Mick McCarthy’s recent exit led to further speculation that the former ADO Den Haag boss could be in the running to take over at Portman Road and he is currently fifth favourite at 14-1 with Bet Victor.
One-time midfielder Steijn has long been expected to leave his current club once Eredivisie survival is confirmed - which is now all but certain - after taking them up to the top tier of Dutch football last season. Heerenveen is now tipped to be his destination.
Lincoln boss Danny Cowley still remains the bookies' favourite at 5-2 ahead of Steven Gerrard, 5-1, St Mirren’s Jack Ross at 12-1 along with Tony Mowbray, while Frank Lampard is at 14-1 with Steijn.
Meanwhile, former Blues defender Matt Clarke, now with Portsmouth, is interesting Wolves, Hull City, Bristol City, Reading, Brighton and Hove Albion and Watford, according to the Daily Mail.
The deal which saw Clarke move to Pompey in the summer of 2016, and Adam Webster go in the opposite direction, is believed to include a clause which would see Town receive a percentage of the fee paid to the League One club for the 21-year-old defender if and when he moves on.
Elsewhere, former Lincoln defender Bradley Wood has been banned for six years by the FA Independent Regulatory Commission after deliberately getting himself booked in last season’s FA Cup ties against the Blues - the replay which the Imps won 1-0 at Sincil Bank - and Burnley.
Seven people, including two friends of the 26-year-old, who has been with Alfreton Town this season, had placed bets on him to be yellow-carded during the games.
Wood contested the charges regarding the bookings but admitted 23 other betting offences.
He was banned for five years for the match-fixing offences relating to the bookings and for a further year after admitting 22 charges of betting on the outcome of matches and one of passing on information. He has been suspended until March 8th 2024, fined £3,725 and ordered to pay costs.
Photo: Action Images
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This is just typicel of ME. Draggin his feet on appointing a new boss, and we lose out on the one bloke who could make us competitive again. I wish he would sell us to someone like the Wolves owner. Gonna end up with Pardew now, or Megson. FFS.
I hope ME remembers that picking a manager is like choosing a good woman. Sure, you can find one who will keep the house in order but ultimately leave you disappointed year after year. But what people really want is one who will teach you new things, take you to ecstatic heights and leave you begging for more.
Dino Mich and Lord Snooty Evans have really effed this club up. Can't believe how far we've fallen since wehad honest to goodness down to earth people like the Cobbolts in charge.
........ we need to move for this guy - the Dutch connections of Thyssen and Muhren should help, short and longer term.
On another note - it makes you wonder what we are actually paying money to watch when HORRENDOUS cases of Betting are obviously going on within the game. Perhaps it helps to understand some of the goings on in Football today, that are blatantly obvious as being questionable. The case mentioned above is probably just the tip of the iceberg - what a thought ?
Big shame if it happens as far as i'm concerned. Obviously in demand at the top level of Dutch football. Interesting to see that the Heerenveen attendances this season have a high of 25,600 and a low of 17,300 (i've googled it!) , probably about what we'd be getting here if Portman Road was rocking again! Like any other appointment, no guarantees, but a youngish guy (in terms of management), already of some pedegree. I suspect the powers that be here, think brexit has already happened!
A lot of people seem to be disappointed about this, even though 99% have probably never seen one of his teams play. I personally think we already have someone lined up, it's just a waiting game to find out who that is.
Steijn would have been eaten alive in the Championship. Not sure why a lot of fans on here were so keen on having Steijn? Based on what? The Dutch 2nd division is an awful standard of football, dominated by the PSV and Ajax reserve teams. The Dutch Premier league is also fairly sh*t, so surviving a season isn't that amazing. I know what's been happening here. We are were all so desperate to see the back of MM that it's like finally getting the divorce papers through and then heading to the local bar where getting hold of anything is better than what we had...
Sprucemoose. Ridiculous comment. "Typical me dragging his feet". Last week he announces has going to take his time appointing the new manager and everyone applauds him for doing so. Now we've supposedly according to papers in Holland missed out on him u accuse him of dragging his feet? And neway, for all we know Steijn may never have been a target anyway. Has only been thought to be a target due to being linked last year.
Heerenveen are currently sixth in the Eredevisie with a 26000 stadium. The club has a pedegree for having played in Europe so looks as if Mr Steijn is definitely highly rated over there. I know there is a perception that outside the top 3 that Dutch football isn't as strong as the Championship but I do think this guy ticks all the boxes. Shame ME doesn't show any ambition and go and get him or even look to attract the equally impressive Graham Potter from Ostersund. Certainly with Stein I very much get the impression that he would like the Ipswich job but he is unlikely to turn down an offer from Heerenveen whilst waiting for an approach from town. I think he would be able to bring in 3 or 4 technically gifted continental players to anchor a shift in style. Unfortunately, I don't have any great confidence in Adyemi or Huws resurrecting themselves to being able to manage a decent run of games. Talented players as these pair are I can't help thinking that the reason these guys weren't rated more highly elsewhere is their inability to demonstrate a robust fitness that prevents them maintaining a regular availability and fitness. Bish included means we need to look elsewhere for our midfield creativity and engine and anything these 3 guys (assuming Teddy's contract gets extended) add should only be seen as a bonus next season.
We also have to be realistic about what we can expect from our youngsters. Flynn Downes after a good start at Luton seems to have spent the last few matches on the bench. He started well for us earlier in the season but then started to burn out with fatigue.
So if no Steijn then who?
I think there are some decent options but mindful that a young up and coming manager from Chesterfield (off the back of some admirable achievements and giant killing acts) was appointed as Town manager after Bobby Fergusons contract was not renewed, the result had parallels with MM's time in charge until we were rescued by John Lyall who brought back a more pleasing brand of football.
Having said all that I think Nathan Jones has some good credentials, most will only know him as Luton manager, however his playing career led him to playing in the Spanish league, which then opened up to him joining the former Barcelona player and coach Oscar Garcia for a season at Championship Brighton. As an interpreter and assistant to Oscar they led Brighton to the play offs that season before being defeated then. Funny enough Oscar appears to have recently left his last club, now I am really dreaming that this pair could be reunited for the Town job. Think Nathan probably wants to make it on his own now, that still wouldn't be a bad shout.
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