Han Berger

Johan Antonius "Han" Berger (born 17 June 1950)[1] is a Dutch association football coach and former player.[2]

Han Berger
Personal information
Full name Johan Antonius Berger
Date of birth (1950-06-17) 17 June 1950
Place of birth Utrecht, Netherlands
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1968–1970 Velox
Teams managed
1976–1983 FC Utrecht
1983–1986 FC Groningen
1986 AZ
1987 Fortuna Sittard
1987–1989 FC Utrecht
1989–1991 Fortuna Sittard
1992–1993 SVV/Dordrecht'90
1993–1995 Sparta Rotterdam
1995–1998 SC Cambuur
1998–2000 Netherlands U21
2000–2003 FC Utrecht (technical director)
2004 Oita Trinita
2005–2008 De Graafschap (technical director)
2009–2014 Australia (technical director)
2010 Australia (caretaker)
2014–2016 Sydney FC (director)
2016– Sydney FC (technical director)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Managerial career

FC Utrecht

Berger is the youngest head coach ever in the history of professional football in the Netherlands. After suffering a severe knee injury, his playing career ended at the age of 22 and he was appointed youth and assistant coach at his hometown side FC Utrecht. When the then head coach Jan Rab was dismissed in January 1976, Berger was chosen above Pim van de Meent to be appointed head coach of FC Utrecht at the age of 25.[3]

After that he coached the amazing number of 637 games in the Dutch Eredivisie being particularly successful with FC Utrecht and FC Groningen, leading them to a number of spectacular UEFA Cup campaigns. Under his management Cambuur Leeuwarden in 1998 won the 1st division play-offs for promotion to the Eredivisie. He left the club that summer.[4]

From 1998 till August 2000 Berger was in charge of the national youth teams program of the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) and head coach of the Netherlands Under 21 and Olympic Team and in 2004 he coached Oita Trinita[5] in the Japanese J-League.

Australia

As director of football at FC Utrecht and De Graafschap he acquired a reputation for implementing successful technical strategies, particularly in the field of youth development. Because of this he was offered the role of technical director of the Football Federation Australia. He held this position from January 2009 till July 2014.[6] In 2010 Berger also had a short spell as caretaker manager of the Socceroos.[7]

On 17 April 2014 Berger was appointed as a member of Directors on the board of Sydney FC.[8]

On 24 June 2016 it was announced that Berger was appointed as technical director at Sydney FC.

Personal life

Berger's son Ruud is a retired professional footballer, who played for FC Utrecht when Han was the club's technical director.[9]

Managerial statistics
Team From To Record
GWDLWin %
Oita Trinita 2004 2004 30 8 6 16 026.67
Total 30 8 6 16 026.67

References
  1. J.League Data Site(in Japanese)
  2. "Han Berger To Act As Interim Socceroos Manager". Goal.com. 3 August 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  3. FC Utrecht Historie: Seizoen 1975/1976 – Rondom Voetbal (in Dutch)
  4. Han Berger is wachten beu en stapt op – Trouw (in Dutch)
  5. Han Berger vindt toch werk in Japan – Voetbal International (in Dutch)
  6. http://www.socceroos.com.au/article/han-berger-appointed-new-ffa-technical-director/16liq4q2pnzz01ixm1clk5xzyn
  7. http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/socceroos/socceroos-name-han-berger-caretaker-coach-for-friendly-with-slovenia/story-e6frf4l3-1225923388204
  8. http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/sydneyfc/news-display/Sydney-FC-Appoint-Han-Berger-To-Board/89935
  9. FC Utrecht verhuurt Ruud Berger – Voetbal International (in Dutch)
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