Dutchman Neeskens for Trinidad and Tobago?

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Former Holland international footballer Johan Neeskens is likely to replace Russell Latapy as Trinidad and Tobago's (T&T) national coach.

Media reports indicate that the 59-year-old Neeskens is a former teammate of the legendary Johan Cryuff, and former T&T national coach Wim Rijsbergen in the 1974 and 1978 Dutch national teams.

"Neeskens was a target of the Suriname Football Federation, but due to that country's lack of funding to complete the deal, the T&TFF has now set its sights on sweeping in and hiring him," an official source said.

Neeskens was also an assistant coach of the Netherlands 1998 World Cup team under fellow Dutchman Guus Hiddink.

He is currently out of a job, after working as an assistant to former Dutch international Frank Rijkaard.

Neeskens worked as one of Rijkaard's assistants at Barcelona between 2006 and 2008, and followed him to Turkish champions Galatasary, before their contract, which began in 2009, was terminated in October last year, following a string of poor results.

Neeskens' career

Neeskens was also a head coach of Dutch side Nijmegen. He led them to their first European appearance in 20 years, eight years ago, but was fired a year later for poor results.

He also served as an assistant to Hiddink with Australia between 2005 and 2006.

During his playing career, Neeskens, who was born in Heemstede, played with his local club RCH and Ajax Amesterda, before he moved on to Barcelona, where he enjoyed five good seasons, winning the European Cup Winners' Cup as the highlight.

At the 1974 World Cup, he was instrumental in Holland's run to the Final, scoring five goals, including a second-minute penalty in the Final before West Germany won 2-1.

Four years later in Argentina, Neeskens was once again a key player in the Dutch side, which was beaten for a second successive time by the hosts in a World Cup final.

Neeskens, who was capped 49 times by his country, scored 17 international goals, five of which came in two World Cups. He then moved to the United States to play in the North American Soccer League towards the end of his career. There he played with the New York Cosmos for six seasons before he retired in 1986.