The Dutch coach left Zorya and headed Shakhtar
Newly minted head coach Miner Patrick van Leeuwen commented on his return to the Donetsk club. Previously, he worked at the Miners’ Academy in the period 2006-2013.
“During the period when I was not working at Shakhtar, I continued to communicate with former colleagues, management, Sergey Palkin, also with Dario, who played for the first team. Because I always knew what was going on in the club. Thanks to this communication, I had the opportunity to learn from the experience that they apply to the development of football players and transfer this knowledge to the clubs where I worked after Shakhtar,” said van Leeuwen.
“Of course I enjoy working with young players because you know them and you understand how you can help them take each step they take to become professional footballers. But now they are already professional football players, so being a coach means for me to be able to use all the baggage of knowledge: how to behave on the field with younger players, and at the same time work with more experienced players, with different age categories. Shakhtar has always been a team of young and ambitious players full of enthusiasm. Therefore, I hope to use the enthusiasm and energy of the players to achieve success with our club.”
“The key was that a lot of people told me, ‘This club is in your blood. I have a very good connection with Shakhtar. It was one of my best decisions to leave the Netherlands and move to Ukraine to work at Shakhtar Donetsk, to participate in the growth of the club at a time when there are many ambitions, many opportunities to become a top European team. It was very nice to be back. And when that opportunity comes up, it’s not something you think about a lot.”
“Last year I worked for another Ukrainian club and I can see that the country has become more patriotic in such a difficult time. I see how people support each other not only within the club, but also just on the streets, so I believe that our fans need to continue to believe in a positive outcome and, with the help of Shakhtar, enjoy the team and the development of the club during this difficult period.”
Van Leeuwen signed a contract with Shakhtar until June 30, 2025. As head coach of the team, the Dutchman replaced Igor Jovicevich.
Van Leeuwen became the 36th coach in Shakhtar’s history. Last season, he led Zorya, with whom he took third place in the Ukrainian championship.
The miner has already arrived in the Netherlands, where he will hold a summer training camp. The Pitmen plan to play five test matches.
The Donetsk club became the champion of Ukraine in the 2022/23 season. The Pitmen got into the third pot of the draw for the next Champions League group stage.
Source: Sportarena
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