cement his position as Ghana’s
first-choice goalkeeper.
In many ways, Wollacott’s rise at
international level is similar to how
he emerged from the dungeons of
club football to become a regular
in League Two. Born in Bristol, the
goalkeeper joined hometown club
Bristol City as an ambitious teenager
looking to fledge into a world-beater.
However, his dream would be rocked
by several loan moves. Wollacott spent
eight years at his boyhood club without
making a single first-team appearance,
and was farmed out on loan to one
club after another.
Swindon Town became the ninth
loan club of Wollacott’s career when
he arrived in February 2021, with the
move made permanent that summer.
Six years earlier, the goalkeeper was
plying his trade at Clevedon Town in
the Southern Football League Division
One South & West (England’s eighth
tier) and, as recently as 2019, he was
lining up for Gloucester City in the
National League South (the sixth tier).
While the majority of Wollacott’s
loan spells were in the southwest of
England, he also had a brief stint with
Norwegian fourth-tier side Bergsoy IL,
having grown frustrated by the lack
of opportunities in England.
“I don’t think I had anything else
on the table in England, so I thought
I might as well just take a chance and
go abroad, see how it is,” he toldThe
GuardianinJanuary of his decision
to try his luck in northern Europe.
“Norway was another really good life
experience. At the time it opened
doors for other things when I got
back.”
Wollacott has gone through that
door, and risen through the ranks. His
is a story of hard work, patience and
sheer determination. From being
passed around in the oubliettes of
English football,Jojo has risen to
become one of the best goalkeepers
in League Two, keeping his tenth
clean sheet of the season in April.
And from playing in front of crowds
of just over 200 supporters a few years
ago, he now stands as Ghana’s No.1;
primed to represent the Black Stars
under the microscope of millions of
fans in Qatar later this year.
Emmanuel Ayamga
“V
an Our Man”,
declared
PSV’s Twitter
account
after they
confirmed
the identity
of their new manager for next season.
He may have had an outstanding playing
career that took him to England, Spain
and Germany, but Eindhoven can rightly
claim to be his true home.
“I’ve been heading for this moment
for years,” Van Nistelrooy said. “I’m
proud and convinced that I’m ready
to take a leading role at this club.”
Convincing words, but in reality the
former striker’s appointment came
as a surprise. Current coach Roger
Schmidt gets a lot of criticism for his
occasionally inexplicable substitutions
and lack of silverware, yet the German
was the club’s first
choice for next
season. But after
two seasons
Schmidt has
decided to call it
a day, with Benfica
his probable next
destination – although not without
answering one of his criticisms, having
defeated Ajax in the Dutch Cup final.
PSV didn’t have to go far in their
hunt for a replacement, turning to their
former striker and current reserve team
coach. Initially, Van Nistelrooy, who is
carefully developing his career step by
step, insisted that the timing was wrong:
“The ambition is there, but it is too early.”
His statement wasn’t enough to turn
off incoming general manager MarcelBrands though, who will replace Toon
Gerbrands this summer. Tasked with
appointing his first head coach, the
former Everton director of football had
his sights firmly set on Van Nistelrooy.
Brands hatched a plan to convince
his top target: first, by appointing former
PSV boss Fred Rutten as assistant
manager. Then, by simply pointing out
Van Nistelrooy’s CV to him. “He showed
me my resume,” said the former striker.
“Two years assistant of Guus Hiddink
at the national team; assistant at Euro
2020; assistant of Phillip Cocu at the
first team; three years coaching PSV
Under-19s and one season at the
reserve team.
“Brands said: ‘What else could you
do to get closer to the first-team job?’
That was the last push.”
Van Nistelrooy, 45, retired as a player
in 2012 after an outstanding careerinvolving Den Bosch, Heerenveen,
PSV, Manchester United, Real Madrid,
Hamburg and Malaga. He scored 349
goals in 592 games in club football.
He also hit 35 goals in 70 national
team appearances.
Soon after hanging up his boots, he
started his coaching career. This season,
hisJong PSV side are on course for a
mid-table finish in the second tier, but
more importantly he has helped nurse
talents like Cody Gakpo andJordan Teze.
He will not be the first club icon to sit
in the PSV dugout in recent years, and
the club hopes that he will follow in the
footsteps of Phillip Cocu – three-time
Eredivisie champion and Dutch Cup
winner in 2012 – rather than Mark van
Bommel. The latter, a former midfielder
who also learnt his trade in the youth
ranks and as an assistant, initially had
the board’s full confidence. Yet despite
winning his first13 league games, a club
record, he was sacked in his second
season due to poor results and a poor
relationship with people at the club.
Van Nistelrooy can only hope that he
remains PSV’s man for a longer period.
Klaas-Jan DroppertNext PSV boss...
Van Nistelrooy
has worked at
the Eindhoven
club since 2018Ruud van Nistelrooy
Legendary Dutch striker set to take charge
of his former club PSV from next seasonPEOPLE AND PLACES IN THE NEWS“I’ve been heading for this
moment for years. I’m proud and
convinced that I’m ready to take
a leading role at this club”