Rob Witschge

Robert "Rob" Witschge (born 22 August 1966) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Rob Witschge
Witschge in 2012
Personal information
Full name Robert Witschge
Date of birth (1966-08-22) 22 August 1966
Place of birth Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
SDW
Ajax
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985–1989 Ajax 92 (13)
1989–1990 Saint-Étienne 51 (11)
1991–1996 Feyenoord 160 (25)
1996–1997 Utrecht 29 (1)
1998–1999 Ittihad
Total 332 (50)
National team
1989–1995 Netherlands 30 (3)
Teams managed
2001–2002 Haarlem (assistant)
2002–2004 ADO'20
2004–2008 Netherlands (assistant)
2008–2009 Ajax (assistant)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He spent most of his 14-year professional career with Feyenoord, but started out at Ajax, amassing Eredivisie totals of 281 matches and 39 goals.

Witschge represented the Dutch national team in the 1994 World Cup and Euro 1992.

Club career

Born in Amsterdam, North-Holland, Witschge started his professional career with local AFC Ajax, being an undisputed starter at the age of 20 and a crucial element of the team that won the 1986–87 European Cup Winners' Cup. During three seasons, he shared teams with his sibling Richard.

Witschge joined French club AS Saint-Étienne in July 1989 but, unsettled, returned home in January 1991 with Feyenoord. He helped the Rotterdam side win three Dutch Cups, one Supercup and the 1992–93 Eredivisie.

After one weak final year with Feyenoord – 13 appearances, no goals – the 30-year-old moved to FC Utrecht, retiring in 1999 after one season with Saudi Arabia's Ittihad FC. In 2001 Witschge took up coaching, being named assistant of Marco van Basten and John van 't Schip at the national team in 2004; he rejoined the pair at Ajax four years later, again as assistant.[1]

International career

Witschge made his debut for the Netherlands on 4 January 1989 in a friendly against Israel (2–0 away win), going on to win 30 caps (three goals) and represent the nation at UEFA Euro 1992[2] and the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

Personal life

Witschge's younger brother, Richard, is also a former footballer and a midfielder.[3]

References
  1. "Marco van Basten new coach Ajax". AFC Ajax. 22 February 2008. Archived from the original on 1 March 2008. Retrieved 28 February 2008.
  2. Serné, Marc (26 May 1992). "Feyenoorder Rob Witschge neemt plaats in van geblesseerde broer Richard; Oranje zoekt scherpte in oefencampagne" [Feyenoord man Rob Witschge takes the place of injured brother Richard; Orange seek sharpness in practice campaign]. NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  3. Lang, Jack (3 December 2015). "Football's best brothers: As the Nevilles are reunited, we rank 30 of soccer's most celebrated sets of siblings". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
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