Gertjan Verbeek is a Dutch former professional footballer who last managed A-League side Adelaide United.
Coaching career
Netherlands
After retiring from his playing career in 1994, Verbeek stayed with SC Heerenveen as an assistant-coach. He left for Heracles Almelo in 2001, and after a successful stint there was hired as the successor to Foppe de Haan with SC Heerenveen. In 2008, he was hired by Feyenoord, but was fired after clashing with players a few months into his tenure. He moved to Heracles Almelo for the 2009–2010 season, and after guiding them to a 6th-place finish in the Eredivisie, AZ hired him for the 2010–2011 season. Verbeek caused controversy in December 2011 in a 2011–12 KNVB Cup match against Ajax by leading AZ off the pitch in protest at having their goalkeeper Esteban Alvarado sent off for retaliating against a pitch invader. The game was consequently abandoned. On 29 September 2013, AZ fired him due to lack of chemistry with the players.
Germany
The Germanfootball club 1. FC Nürnberg hired him on 22 October 2013, giving him the first coaching opportunity outside of Netherlands, with a contract until 30 June 2015. However, he was sacked on 23 April 2014. On 22 December 2014, the VfL Bochum announced signing Verbeek as head coach, starting 1 January 2015. In his return to Nuremberg on 23 March 2015, Bochum defeated 1. FC Nürnberg 2–1. He was sacked on 11 July 2017.
Twente
On 29 October 2017 he returned to management in his native Holland, where he signed with FC Twente, which was going through a disastrous campaign of the 2017-18 Eredivisie. On 26 March, after 149 days, Verbeek was fired as FC Twente's manager, with the team at the bottom of the table with six games remaining of the season.
Adelaide United
On 23 May 2019, Verbeek was officially announced as Marco Kurz' replacement as manager for A-League club Adelaide United. Verbeek led Adelaide United to their third FFA Cup victory by defeating Melbourne City 4–0 at Coopers Stadium. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Verbeek took a leave of absence to return home to the Netherlands indefinitely while still being under contract with the club. Verbeek and Adelaide United decided to mutually part ways on 29 April 2020.
