 Molenaar in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1969-02-27)27 February 1969 (age 56) | ||
| Place of birth | Zaandam, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1992–1997 | FC Volendam | 125 | (2) |
| 1997–2000 | Leeds United | 51 | (5) |
| 2000–2003 | Bradford City | 71 | (2) |
| 2003–2007 | RBC Roosendaal | 68 | (6) |
| Total | 315 | (15) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2012–2013 | NEC (assistant) | ||
| 2014–2015 | RKSV Halsteren | ||
| 2015–2017 | FC Volendam | ||
| 2017–2019 | Roda JC Kerkrade | ||
| 2019 | Almere City | ||
| 2021–2022 | Jong NAC | ||
| 2022 | NAC Breda | ||
| 2024–2025 | Schalke 04 (assistant) | ||
| 2025– | Royal Antwerp (assistant) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Robert Molenaar (born 27 February 1969) is a Dutch professionalfootball coach and formerplayer who works as an assistant coach atRoyal Antwerp. He played as acentre-back forFC Volendam,Leeds United,Bradford City andRBC Roosendaal.
Molenaar was born inZaandam,North Holland. He was signed forLeeds United by the then managerGeorge Graham fromFC Volendam for £1,000,000 in January 1997 to try to shore up the defence.[2] He became a regular in the side until the end of the1996–97 season. In the1997–98 season however his performances were not up to scratch and he fell down the pecking order playing around half the matches. In the1998–99 he was once again a first choice centre-back, aboveDavid Wetherall but a challenge byNicolas Anelka, then playing forArsenal, kept him out via ligament damage until 2000. He failed to make another appearance for Leeds United and was sold toBradford City in the summer of 2000 to help their dog fight against relegation. He stayed there until 2003, scoring twice against Newcastle United[3] and Nottingham Forest,[4] when his contract was not renewed and he moved toRBC Roosendaal before eventually retiring in the summer of 2007.
After working as assistant manager ofNEC and manager of amateur side RKSV Halsteren,[5] Molenaar was appointed manager ofEerste Divisie sideFC Volendam from July 2015.[6] In March 2017, it was announced that Molenaar would leave his role at the end of the season.[7]
He was appointed as manager ofRoda JC in June 2017 on a one-year contract with the option of a further year.[5] He was sacked from his role at the club in March 2019.[8]
In June 2019, he was appointed as manager ofAlmere City on a two-year contract,[9] but was sacked in November of that year following a run of poor results.[10]
On 13 July 2021, Molenaar was appointed as manager ofJong NAC, the reserve team ofNAC Breda.[11][12]
On 15 June 2022, NAC appointed Molenaar as head coach of the first team on a one-year deal, effective from 1 July 2022, replacingEdwin de Graaf.[13] He was dismissed on 27 December 2022 due to poor results.[14]
In October 2024, Molenaar joinedKees van Wonderen atSchalke 04. He started working there as Van Wonderen's assistant.[15]
In June 2025, he became assistant coach toStef Wils atRoyal Antwerp.[16] In November that year, he served as interim coach along withFaris Haroun following the dismissal of Wils.[17]