FORMER Netherlands manager Kees Rijvers has died at the age of 97.
The Dutchman was idolised for his glittering managerial career in Holland alongside his superb playing days.
Rijvers was one of the first Dutch players to take his playing career abroad and won the French league title in 1957 with Saint Etienne.
As a manager he gave international debuts to some of the Netherland’s most iconic players including Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and Ronald Koeman.
Rijvers took charge of the national team for three and a half years overseeing 21 games as the boss of the Oranje.
But he also made an impact for the national side as a player earning himself 33 caps and scoring 10 goals between 1946 and 1960.
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It was his managerial career at club level that was perhaps the most impressive record he held.
Rijvers won three Eredivise titles and the Uefa Cup as the manager of PSV Eindhoven.
Only one manager in the history of the Eredivisie, Bert Jacobs, has managed to win more matches than Rijvers with the tactician earning victory an incredible 251 times during his career in the league.
PSV led the tributes for their former gaffer with a statement released on their website.
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It read: “With the death of Kees Rijvers, the club and Dutch football have lost a great icon.
“PSV is thinking of all the relatives and wishes everyone a lot of strength in coping with this great loss.”
Rijvers also spent six years as boss of FC Twente from 1966 to 1972 as well as a spell as technical director of the club from 1986 to 1989.
The Dutch outfit also released a statement paying their tributes to their former manager online.
It read: “We wish the family of Kees Rijvers, his friends and other relatives a lot of strength in coping with the loss.”
Rijvers retired from management in 1994 after a short return to PSV.
In March of last year he was awarded a knighthood of the Dutch Football Association for his work and influence on the beautiful game in Holland.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
