Masters of Sport: in conversation with Bert van Marwijk

He is retired from football and is only visible in the stands at grandson Ruben van Bommel's matches. The only thing Bert van Marwijk may still be open to is sharing his experiences with clubs and organizations. From winning the UEFA Cup in 2002 with Feyenoord to the World Cup final he reached with the Dutch national team in 2010. The now 71-year-old Van Marwijk talks to Jaap de Groot about this and much more. A conversation about coaching, guiding and managing top football players, but also about the world title that he would win.

Text: Jaap de Groot
Image: Károly Effenberger

You've been retired for a year and a half now, but is that really the case?

“I have always decided that if I stop, I will really stop. Ten years ago I decided not to be on the field every day as a trainer. Only as a national coach, the reason being that I wanted to see my grandchildren grow up. I'm incredibly glad I did. Both my granddaughter's tennis career and my football-playing grandsons and so much more: it has been more than worth it.”

But do you do nothing at all anymore? Also no consultancy or anything?

“At MVV I am still on a steering group for the youth academy and am an ambassador for the Youth Sports Fund. That is it. If they ask me to advise on something and it seems interesting to me, I might start a conversation. But I'm not going to be a trainer anymore. I really distanced myself from that.”

You have gone through everything in football. From amateur club to Oranje and from youth coach to national coach. Is there another dot on the horizon?

“I never looked at it that way. A lot just happened to me. After my playing career, I even started a sports shop to combine that with training at a lower level. To remain active in football. I did that for almost twenty years. Until I was called by my old club AZ to become a trainer. They did say honestly that Willem van Hanegem was the first choice. If it didn't work, they wanted to do business with me. Willem eventually did it, but that was an important signal for me. The point was that I could not and cannot lobby. I never went to look anywhere. Only at MVV, because many friends and former players came there. Then AZ came and then Fortuna and MVV quite quickly. Fortuna was more decisive. It turned out the way it turned out.”

“Once I became a trainer at an amateur club and my wife came to watch for the first time, I was immediately told that if I behaved like that one more time, she would never come again. I was a kind of radio reporter, who accompanied every ball”

Career planning was not for you?

“I never had the ambition to go to Borussia Dortmund via Feyenoord and then to Real Madrid. It was actually very simple. I had to like what came my way, but preferably at the highest possible level with high-quality players. That's how I've always seen it. Even after the World Cup in 2010.Many people advised me to quit the Dutch national team. According to them, the time was ripe for Real Madrid or a club like that. Only at that moment I didn't have that feeling at all and I still enjoyed it way too much. Perhaps unwise, but I have never regretted it. Not really. I am happy that I trained Fortuna and certainly Feyenoord. Then Borussia Dortmund, where I still go. A great club, with a great stadium and great crowd. And of course the Dutch national team. All great moments, all came as it came.”

After that, never felt the need to become a technical director or another position in top football?

“I've been asked this before, but I wasn't cut out for an office job. I'd much rather be on the field working with players. That is no longer possible, but there is still not a hair on my head that is thinking of becoming a technical director. But I am open to giving advice or helping in some way. But that's it.”

Looking back on your career, which process was the most complex? From player to trainer or trainer to coach?

“From player to coach. As a left winger I just wanted to have the ball. Enjoy playing games, scoring goals and providing assists. As I got older, I found myself in midfield and saw how much was going wrong around me. So I automatically started coaching more. Later I was in the last line as a libero and I remember that Johan Cruijff wanted me at Ajax. I was already thirty and Ronald Koeman had left Ajax for PSV.During that entire development from idiosyncratic left winger to team player, the feeling eventually arose to become a trainer. Only when I became a trainer of an amateur club and my wife came to watch for the first time, I was immediately told that if I behaved like that one more time, she would never come again. I was a kind of radio reporter, covering every ball. Still that player who coached his team. I quickly got rid of that. You don't help players by just shouting what to do throughout the match. You have to pick the right things and the right moments and, above all, keep an overview. That was a bit of a change, but fortunately that also turned out well.”

MASTERS MAGAZINE #55

Would you like to read more about the interview with Bert van Marwijk? The magical autumn edition of MASTERS Magazine is now available. Artificial intelligence has now become an indispensable part of our lives. But, is this development something to celebrate or fear? Will Terminators take over or will friendly robots make our earthly existence even more comfortable? In this edition, AI is examined. According to philosopher Rowan Williams, it is important to remember that whatever AI does, it always imitates. And that we as humans distinguish ourselves through ingenuity. A good example is real estate entrepreneur André Snippe, who is developing an ultra-modern city district in Hoofddorp. Or nautical designer Jurjen Eerkens, who has developed a groundbreaking boat with his Hytender that is leading the way in making the yacht industry more sustainable. These and more resourceful entrepreneurs grace the pages of this edition. Which also looks ahead to MASTERS EXPO | The MAGICAL Edition, our exclusive business fair also born from ingenuity.

Order MASTERS Magazine #55 here