Henk Fraser eyes Ulrich van Gobbel as Surinaams assistant

Netherlands coach Henk Fraser has expressed his desire to bring Feyenoord youth trainer Ulrich van Gobbel into the Surinaams national team set‑up as his right‑hand assistant, a move that could see the 55‑year‑old former Oranje defender balancing duties with his role at Feyenoord.

Van Gobbel’s coaching background

Van Gobbel, now 55, earned eight interlands for Oranje during his playing career. He began working as a youth trainer in 2011 and has remained in that capacity ever since.

This season he serves as assistant to Jimmy Lucassen with Feyenoord’s under‑19 side, adding national‑team experience to his résumé. Feyenoord has agreed to cooperate under strict conditions, noting that the club frequently releases staff to serve national squads.

The club’s policy aims to protect its own development programmes while still supporting coaches who take on international duties. Feyenoord‑jeugdtrainer van Gobbel therefore hopes to combine both responsibilities without conflict.

Suriname’s upcoming schedule

Suriname missed qualification for major tournaments under former coaches Henk ten Cate and Stanley Menzo, but recently participated in the World Cup in the United States. The Surinaamse football federation now looks to strengthen its staff ahead of new challenges.

At the end of September the Surinaams side will contest four CONCACAF Nations League matches: home games against Martinique and Guatemala, and away fixtures versus Honduras and Guatemala.

© Marco De SwartUlrich photo from 2018 illustrates the former defender’s long‑standing connection to the game. The article is credited to Mikos GoukaClubwatcher and tagged Feyenoord19.