NEW DELHI: Delhi Dynamos FC, the national capital’s football team for the Hero MotoCorp Indian Super League, have announced Harm van Veldhoven as its manager.
Harm started his career as a striker on the football field and his tryst with coaching started in 1999 with FC Lommel, a renowned second division club in Belgium. He took over as manager in 2000, achieving promotion in 2002 by winning the Belgium Second Division Championship. During his tenure, Harm also managed to guide the club to the finals of the Belgian Cup. In 2003, Harm joined FC Brussels, another promising Belgian club, and won promotion for the club as Champion of the Belgian Second Division in his very first year as their manager.
In 2004, Harm joined Belgian Pro League club Cercle Brugge and served as manager till 2007. Harm then moved to Germinal Beerschot and had another successful couple of seasons in the Pro League.
He joined the Dutch Eredivisie (top division) in 2008, becoming manager of Roda JC. After helping his club avoid relegation in the 2008-09 season, Harm led Roda to a series of impressive league finishes, including a high of sixth place in 2010-11. After completing his contract term in 2012, he joined the Belgian Pro League Club, KV Mechelen as manager, concluding that engagement in 2013.
Harm’s coaching style is a great fit for the Delhi Dynamos’ philosophy of “Thok Denge”. Harm prefers the 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formations, enabling his team to produce an exciting brand of fluid, attacking football.
During the launch of the team, the Dynamos described their mission as building football into a leading sport across Delhi and Northern India. With an alliance with Dutch powerhouse Feyenoord Rotterdam and coupled with Harm’s expert guidance, the Dynamos are well on their way to give Delhi a well-prepared, world-class football team that will do the city proud.
Sameer Manchanda, a passionate football fan and chairman and managing director of DEN Networks said: “We are very happy to welcome Harm van Veldhoven to the Delhi Dynamos FC. A coach of Harm’s calibre and experience will enable our mission of creating a cohesive team of world-class players; and more importantly, will give each ‘Delhi Dynamo’ an invaluable opportunity to learn new skills and grow under his able leadership. We are very excited with the way this team is shaping up and we hope to deliver the expectations of millions of Delhiites on the football field.”
Veldhoven said: “I am thrilled and humbled at the same time with this immense responsibility to give India’s capital a formidable football team! Coaching Delhi Dynamos FC is a great opportunity, as I get to work with skilled Indian & international players. I look forward to building an amazing team for Delhi.”
DEN aims to create a robust football ecosystem in Delhi and Northern Indian. Delhi Dynamos has an alliance with Feyenoord Rotterdam – a leading football club and academy from the Netherlands. According to the CIES Football Observatory,Feyenoord was the World No. 1 in Player Development for this FIFA World Cup 2014.
