Brentford confirm Dijkhuizen

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Sky sources reported last week that the Excelsior Rotterdam boss was set to leave his post with the Eredivisie club and succeed Mark Warburton, whose contract as Bees manager was not renewed.

And after Warburton’s contract finished on May 30, Brentford announced the arrival of Dijkhuizen, who led Rotterdam to a 15th-place finish in the Dutch top flight this season, and he will be assisted by fellow Dutchman Roy Hendriksen.

Dijkhuizen said: “I am proud to be the new head coach of Brentford and I am looking forward to working with everyone at the club for a bright future.

“I have been here once before, with my father and brother, to see a game against Coventry City in March 2014. We stood on the terrace behind the goal and were pleasantly surprised by the quality of football.

“There was some very good play. We also loved the ambiance in and around the stadium. That is football at its best.”

Dijkhuizen is charged with taking Brentford to the Premier League under a new management and recruitment structure that will see the club use an extensive mathematical model to assess and develop player performance.

It will mean the head coach will work closely with new sporting directors Rasmus Ankersen and Phil Giles, who were appointed last month, but cannot veto new players.

Brentford owner Matthew Benham,who controversially decided to part with the successful Warburton, said: “The appointment of the new head coach was a very important part of the restructure we have been undertaking. 

“We wanted someone who could share our vision for the future and be part of an innovative club in everything we do. Having a head coach who thinks in that way was very important.

“There was a wide search and lots of candidates were considered but Marinus was the overwhelming choice of everyone involved in the selection process.”

Dijkhuizen was one of four candidates, one British and three non-British, who made it past the first round of interviews and was seriously considered for the job.

Sky sources understand the British candidate was Paul Clement, who was named the new head coach of Derby County on Monday.