Thursday, April 16, 2009

Rovers' announce new boss

Three Rock Rovers have moved swiftly in securing the services of Maarten Bos (right) to take over the coaching reins for the 2009/10 season.

It comes in the wake of Turloch O’Siochain informing the Rovers’ players, last Saturday night in Hamburg, he will step down at the end of the current season, confirming the open secret that he will move to Bristol after a period of unprecedented success with the club.

It brings to an end a four year tenure in which O’Siochain oversaw Rovers first ever All-Ireland Club Championships title in 2008 as well as a first Leinster league title since 2003.

That year, Dutchman Bert Vreeken was in charge of Rovers and it is under his prompting that Bos comes to Ireland .

Bos was, among other coaching roles, Vreeken’s assistant with the North-Holland district U-14 team when the issue was first broached.

“He told me that the present coach of TRR [Turloch] would possibly stop after four successful seasons. Bert asked me whether I'd like to come over with him to Ireland to take three training sessions with the squad and see what hockey is like in Ireland .”

He came over initially in mid-January, taking in the Irish Senior Cup fixture against Kilkenny where Bos says there was a ‘click’ between him and the team and, from there, the wheels were set in motion, with a contract agreed.

Speaking about the new post, the 27-year-old said it was an opportunity he could not pass up.

“I am really delighted that the club has offered me the coaching job at TRR and that we came to an agreement because I love to work at, what we call in Holland , 'family-clubs'.

“Beyond that, the team has got some really interesting and talented players. There is a perfect mix between young stars and experienced players.

“I am looking forward to come over for the next two years and will definitely try to get the best out of the team and raise the hockey standard to a higher level.”

Bos has worked in the past five years with top Dutch clubs like Bloemendaal, Pinoke and Qui Vive – Neil Lyons former club – as well as working for the Dutch hockey union (KNHB) as a head coach for district U-16 and U-14 teams while also running his own agency: Focus Sportconsultancy.

He is currently assembling a backroom staff while his first playing addition is player Sven Galjaardt (pictured, left) who will join from Qui Vive for an initial season with a view to a longer stay should the situation suit.

23 comments:

Maarten Sier said...

the dutch are back fore more

Anonymous said...

sounds ominous alright

Anonymous said...

give the south africans a run for their money!!

Anonymous said...

I wonder if Rovers will keep Lucas on as An assistant coach. Fair play to them, if he is as good as Bert he will be sucessful with the current crop of players rovers have.

Anonymous said...

This is great for Irish hockey its gonna be really interesting where hockey could go in the next few years with clubs getting more ambitious and foreign coaches and players happy to join!

Anonymous said...

yeah, the way leinster hockey is able to attract decent players is really encouraging like Fulton, McInroy, Jaros and so on is a testament to a growing standing of the game internationally

Anonymous said...

seems lik a very proffesional attitude, fair play.

Anonymous said...

they need sier back as blakeneys drag flicks may match the pace of maartens but can not come come with accuracy and reliablity

Anonymous said...

It's great that Leinster hockey can attract these top international players/coaches, where Munster and Ulster seem to struggle a little more to get them in and secured. Congrats to Rovers and the other Leinster clubs who have gone through the process of getting these top individuals in, which has already raised the standard.

Anonymous said...

yeah but ulster teams breed their own coaches and it probably costs them a lot less. how uch will this guy be getting paid cos its getting pricey to be a top club

Anonymous said...

Just referring to the anonymous from previous post who said:

"Club of of the year! Pembroke 2nd xi were probably club of the year or should have been team of the year at least: 53 wins in a row, won every trophy(7 competitions in a row) in two consecutive seasons 2006-2007-2008, unprecendented, give them some respect, would, according to most neutrals, probably have beaten most of the first XIs in Div 1. Credit where due id say!!"

Hate to say it but well done pembroke. Their coach was Ken Treacy last 2 seasons, maybe someone should approach him about turning his magic on some of the under achievers in Div 1? It would be Pembroke's loss.

Anonymous said...

Congrats to Rovers and to Turloch on his great achievements at Three Rock. He is a Irish home grown coach.

Surely at this stage some of the local players should be looking to get into management...

Anonymous said...

Congrats on the appointment. does anybody have any idea how much a coach of that quality would cost?

Anonymous said...

Fair play to Turloch,

Look what he did with Rovers.....gonna be a hard act to follow.

Maybe Rovers didn't know what they had.

Anonymous said...

Muster/Ulster don't seem to get these coaches in???

Maybe Muster and Ulster clubs want to save some of their money and give local coaches a chance!!

Many clubs don't have the luxury of all the money Pembroke and TRR have!!

Anonymous said...

Right so folks pick your "fourth province" a squad of sixteen players ineligible to play for Ireland but handy enough to win a few games. Must have played 8 1st team matches this season for a Leinster club.

Coach Colin Stewart
Fulton, Piccioli, Conlon, Rixon Fuller, Williams, Jaros, Webber,
Warren, Cronje(eligible) McInroy,
Avoca keeper?? any others....

Anonymous said...

Ken Treacy - amazing!

Anonymous said...

AHH!! Sven and Maarten!! Rachel and Mark from Sportways Amsterdam say hello!! Woo!

Anonymous said...

anybody heard of this new player,have they brought in another dragflicker like sier?

Anonymous said...

Post on April 16, 2009 6:43 PM - good post!

You should check back on the Blog's old entries and see the team Stephen put together -

http://hookhockey.blogspot.com/2007/10/best-foreign-xi-part-one.html

Now you are probably going on the current league...just thought in case you hadn't seen the entry.

Anonymous said...

You'd have to remember the great Darren Booth from Railway. He was a member of the Australian Commonwelth panel and beat Pembroke for us on his own. Unbelievable player

Anonymous said...

Sven is class, hope he coaches in Sportways in july!!!amaaazing skills.

Anonymous said...

Just want to say well done to Turloch what a fantastic job he has done with TRR! Great to see an Irish Coach take an Irish team to such heights! Its a shame that Irish Hockey is losing one of its best coachs.