Piet de Visser

Football manager infobox
playername = Piet de Visser


fullname = Piet de Visser
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1934|9|23
cityofbirth = Oost- en West-Souburg
countryofbirth = Netherlands
currentclub = Chelsea F.C. (scout)
position =
manageryears = 1957–1963
1964–1966
1966–1969
1969–1971
1971–1974
1974–1976
1976–1978
1978–1980
1980–1983
1983–1985
1985–1991
1992–1993
managerclubs = Sparta (assistant)
DFC
Stormvogels Telstar
DFC
De Graafschap
NEC
R.W.D. Molenbeek
FC Den Haag
Roda JC
AZ Alkmaar
Willem II
NAC Breda
years =
clubs =
caps(goals) =

Piet de Visser (born birth date|1934|9|23 in Oost- en West-Souburg, Zeeland) is a Dutch football manager and scout. He is best known for scouting players like Romário and Ronaldo and successfully bringing them to Europe.cite news | title=Piet De Visser - Internationaal Voetbalscout| url=http://www.psvzone.nl/selectie_stafflid.php?id=4 | publisher=PSVZone | accessdate=2006-12-10] He is currently a personal adviser to Roman Abramovich, the owner of the English club Chelsea F.C.cite news | title= Dutch scout is Abramovich's secret link | url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=D&xml=/sport/2005/06/09/sfndut09.xml | publisher=Telegraph | date=2005-06-09 | accessdate=2006-12-10]

Career

Manager

After a career as a player for De Zeeuwen, RCH and Zeeland Sport, De Visser became involved in management. In 1957 he started as a youth and assistant manager at Sparta.cite news | title=Oeuvreprijs naar Piet de Visser| url=http://www.net2client.com/ZZZ/08/04101/Uitslagen_2004.htm?MCT7evlngrp3%C3%BE | publisher=Rinus Michels Awards 2005 | date=2005-05-28 | accessdate=2007-01-17]

In 1964 he took his first assignment as a head manager at DFC and became champion of the second division in his first year. In 1973, while manager of De Graafschap, he and his club (which included defender Guus Hiddink) were promoted to the Eredivisie. He subsequently became champion of the Eerste Divisie with NEC in 1975, and moved to the R.W.D. Molenbeek which had won the Belgian League the preceding season.

He ended his management career in 1993, while at NAC Breda, due to heart problems. He has since struggled with his health, beating cancer and undergoing five bypass surgeries.cite news | author=Simon Kuper | title=Teenage kicks, so hard to beat| url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/e9a87070-5ae1-11db-8f80-0000779e2340.html | publisher=Financial Times | date=2006-10-13 | accessdate=2006-12-11] During his career, De Visser managed Sparta, DFC, Stormvogels Telstar, De Graafschap, NEC, R.W.D. Molenbeek, FC Den Haag, Roda JC, AZ Alkmaar, Willem II and NAC Breda.cite news | title=Piet de Visser| url=http://www.rodajcspelers.nl/oudtrainers/visser.htm | publisher=Roda JC Spelers | accessdate=2006-12-11]

PSV

After his career as a manager, De Visser became scout at PSV. While at PSV he was responsible for scouting players like Romário, Ronaldo, Alex, Farfán, Gomes, and Dzsudzsák for the club. cite news | title= De Visser on our midfield | url=http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/1/de-visser-on-our-midfield.html | publisher=World Cup Blog| date=2005-06-20 | accessdate=2006-12-27] cite news | title= Meesterscout Piet de Visser | url=http://sargasso.nl/archief/2008/02/08/meesterscout-piet-de-visser/ | publisher=Sargasso| date=2008-02-08 | accessdate=2008-06-15 Dutch: "Ik wil dat de speler een goed contract krijgt, en dat ook de voetbalbond en de club waar zo’n jongen vandaan komt een fatsoenlijke vergoeding krijgt. Ik zou wel op de top van de Kilimanjaro willen klimmen om het over het hele continent uit te schreeuwen: jongens kijk uit voor de louche makelaars"] He even scouted Adriano but PSV coach Erik Gerets was not interested in signing the Brazilian.

Chelsea / Roman Abramovich

Since 2005 De Visser also scouts for Chelsea F.C., and is considered a close personal adviser on transfers to Roman Abramovich. Guus Hiddink, who played under De Visser at De Graafschap, and who worked with him at PSV, was recommended to Abramovich (who pays Hiddink's wages) for the position of manager of the Russia national football team. De Visser also recommended the hiring of Frank Arnesen to Abramovich, a move which was opposed by Jose Mourinho. cite news | author=Matt Hughes | title='Special One' has suffered a power cut | url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,277-2548077,00.html |archiveurl=http://www.joinmust.org/forum/showthread.php?t=32325 |archivedate=2007-01-15| publisher=The Times| date=2007-01-15 | accessdate=2007-01-17] It was De Visser who first recommended the signing of Mikel John Obi and Salomon Kalou to Frank Arnesen for Chelsea.cite news | author=Matt Scott | title=Feud at the heart of Chelsea's troubles | url=http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/01/16/feud_at_the_heart_of_chelseas.html | publisher=The Guardian| date=2007-01-16 | accessdate=2007-01-17] De Visser and Arnesen have since clashed with Mourinho over transfer policy, with the two allegedly recommending Alex be brought over from PSV to solve the club's defensive problems. Mourinho is said to have preferred Khalid Boulahrouz instead.

De Visser has also been instrumental in assisting Abramovich in setting up a youth academy at Chelsea, modelled on the academy at PSV. According to De Visser, "Mr Abramovich is fed up that he has to keep paying millions and millions for big star players. He had to pay an absolute fortune to get players like Didier Drogba and Michael Essien. This is why he has asked me as a private scout to look out for top class young players who will be the Chelsea stars in three years time."cite news | title=De Visser reveals Chelsea's close PSV ties | url=http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=26027 | publisher=TribalFootball| date=2007-01-22 | accessdate=2007-01-24]

Honours

De Visser won numerous championships at various clubs as a manager. In 2005, he received the prestigious Rinus Michels Award for his entire oeuvre. The award is named after Rinus Michels, who was named coach of the century by FIFA in 1999. [cite news | author=Berend Scholten | title=Michels - a total footballing legend | url=http://www.uefa.com/uefa/history/Obituaries/newsId=285010.html | publisher=UEFA.com| date=2005-03-03 | accessdate=2007-01-17]

Position on agents

De Visser has been openly critical of what he perceives as the manipulation of young players by player agents. He has said: "I want the player to get a good contract, and also that the football association and the club where the boy comes from gets a decent compensation. I would like to climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and shout across the continent 'Boys watch out for shady agents!'"

References

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