 Zonderland in 1976 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1940-10-02)2 October 1940 | ||
| Place of birth | Haarlem, Netherlands | ||
| Date of death | 15 August 2007(2007-08-15) (aged 66) | ||
| Place of death | Borne, Netherlands | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| Years | Team | ||
| 1964–1967 | JOS | ||
| 1967–1971 | De Graafschap | ||
| 1971–1976 | Feyenoord (assistant) | ||
| 1973 | Feyenoord (interim) | ||
| 1976 | Feyenoord (interim) | ||
| 1976–1978 | FC Den Bosch | ||
| 1980–1981 | FC Den Bosch | ||
Ad Zonderland (2 October 1940 – 15 August 2007) was a Dutchfootball manager and football administrator.[1][2] He worked for several Dutch football clubs, most notablyFeyenoord (as assistant and interim manager) andAjax (as coordinator of their Ghana and South Africa academies).[3][4]
Zonderland started his managerial career withJOS[4] and then moved toDe Graafschap, where he became first team manager in 1967.[1] Here, he would become known for "discovering"Guus Hiddink as a player, convincing him to switch from youth coach to professional footballer.[1][5] He also led the club to promotion to theEerste Divisie by winning theTweede Divisie in the 1968–69 season.[1] In 1971, he was contracted byFeyenoord as assistant manager.[4] On two occasions, he acted as interim manager: in 1973, afterErnst Happel left the club, and in 1976, whenAntoni Brzeżańczyk departed.[1][3]
Zonderland then became manager of Eerste Divisie clubFC Den Bosch, a post he fulfilled for two seasons between 1976 and 1978.[1][3] He subsequently became general director, a position he would hold for nine years aside from a temporary return as manager from 1980 to 1981.[3][4]
In 1990, Zonderland was hired as director ofHeracles Almelo.[6] Between 1992 and 1995, he servedFC Utrecht in the same capacity.[7] Subsequently, Zonderland was appointed byAjax to coordinate their new football academy in Ghana.[4][8] As such, he appeared in the 2000 documentaryAjax: Hark the Herald Angel Sings.[9] After four years in Ghana, in 2002, Zonderland was appointed "director of the coaches" atAjax Cape Town in South Africa.[4]
Zonderland died inBorne on 15 August 2007, aged 66, of a terminal illness.[1][10]