Jan Jacobus Wouters (born 17 July 1960) is a Dutch professional football coach and former player. He played as a defensive midfielder and was Dutch Footballer of the Year in 1990.

Jan Wouters
Personal information
Full nameJan Jacobus Wouters
Date of birth (1960-07-17) 17 July 1960 (age 63)
Place of birthUtrecht, Netherlands
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)Defensive midfielder
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1980–1986Utrecht168(21)
1986–1992Ajax150(21)
1992–1994Bayern Munich66(6)
1994–1996PSV52(5)
Total434(55)
International career
1982–1994[1]Netherlands70(4)
Managerial career
1996–1997Utrecht (assistant)
1997Utrecht (caretaker)
1997–1998Ajax (youth)
1998–2000Ajax
2001–2006Rangers (assistant)
2006–2007PSV (assistant)
2007PSV (caretaker)
2008–2009PSV (assistant)
2009–2011Utrecht (assistant)
2011–2014Utrecht
2015Kasımpaşa (caretaker)
2015–2018Feyenoord (assistant)
2021Fortuna Sittard (assistant)
2022-presentAjax youth (assistant)
Medal record
Representing  Netherlands
UEFA European Championship
Winner1988 West Germany
Bronze medal – third place1992 Sweden
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career edit

Wouters played for several clubs including PSV, Utrecht, Bayern Munich and Ajax. He was also a Netherlands international team member (70 caps, four goals) and was hugely influential in 1988 when the Netherlands won the European Football Championship.

He was a coach of Scottish Premier League club Rangers under Dick Advocaat and then Alex McLeish. He left Rangers at the end of the 2005–06 season, along with McLeish and Andy Watson.

Wouters is infamous to England supporters after elbowing Paul Gascoigne and fracturing his cheekbone during a World Cup qualifier in 1993 at Wembley Stadium. Gascoigne was forced to wear a Phantom of the Opera style facemask to protect his fractured cheekbone until his injury healed. The following day, the Daily Mirror labelled Wouters a "Dutch thug". The match was drawn 2–2 and damaged England's hopes of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup finals in the United States, despite England leading the match 2–0.

Career statistics edit

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[2]
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Utrecht1980–81Eredivisie191
1981–82334
1982–83276
1983–84314
1984–85251
1985–86335
Total16821
Ajax1986–87Eredivisie324
1987–88284
1988–89220
1989–90285
1990–91305
1991–92101
Total15019
Bayern Munich1991–92Bundesliga1710000171
1992–933342000354
1993–941614140242
Total686
PSV1993–94Eredivisie1011000111
1994–952211020251
1995–962034030273
Total525600050635
Career total43851

Honours edit

Utrecht

Ajax

Bayern Munich[3]

PSV

Netherlands

Individual

In popular culture edit

Wouters was repeatedly referenced in a Saturday Night Live sketch on 4 February 2023 featuring James Austin Johnson as a British rapper named Milly Pounds.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ Stokkermans, Karel (16 January 2009). "Jan Wouters - International Appearances". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  2. ^ "Jan WOUTERS". Retrieved 21 November 2008.
  3. ^ "Jan Wouters" (in German). fussballdaten.de. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  4. ^ "UEFA 1988 Team of the Tournament". UEFA.com. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  5. ^ "Bundesliga Historie 1992/93" (in German). kicker.
  6. ^ Weekend Update ft. Michael Longfellow, James Austin Johnson and Devon Walker - SNL, retrieved 6 February 2023

External links edit