Robert Maaskant will, in fact, go home again.
The Columbus Crew SC assistant coach is now a former assistant coach, as he departed the club on Friday to accept the head coaching job with NAC Breda in the Dutch Eredivisie, the country's top flight. This will be Maaskant's second spin at that particular wheel, as he was also NAC head coach from 2008 through 2010.
“We want to thank Robert for his contributions and his time spent in Columbus,” said Crew SC sporting director and head coach Gregg Berhalter. “We’re delighted to have a former member of our staff accept a head coaching role in a topflight European league. We will begin the process immediately using our network to find a suitable replacement.”
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Maaskant previously joined Berhalter’s staff ahead of the 2014 campaign, Berhalter's first in charge of the club. Columbus finished the regular season in third place in the Eastern Conference before bowing out of the playoffs with a 7-3 aggregate loss to eventual Eastern Conference Champions New England Revolution in the conference semifinals.
In Maaskant earlier tour with NAC, helped the side qualify for the UEFA Europa League in 2009, ultimately reaching the fourth round of the tournament. Currently the squad are 15th in the league and very much in danger of relegation.
“This was a difficult decision to make, but it was an opportunity in my home country that I could not pass on,” Maaskant said. “It was a pleasure being a part of this organization and I wish the club and the fans the best moving forward. The progress of the club that I saw over the course of past season in Columbus was impressive. I will look back fondly on my time with Crew SC.”
