Edwin de Graaf

Edwin de Graaf
Edwin de Graaf in 2018
Personal information
Date of birth (1980-04-30) 30 April 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth The Hague, Netherlands
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2004 RBC Roosendaal 89 (19)
2004–2006 Feyenoord 6 (0)
2005 → RBC Roosendaal (loan) 10 (2)
2005–2006 → ADO Den Haag (loan) 23 (3)
2006–2010 NAC Breda 86 (16)
2010–2011 Hibernian 19 (0)
2011 → Excelsior (loan) 5 (1)
2011–2012 Excelsior 27 (0)
2012–2013 Lisse 30 (4)
2013–2014 HBS Craeyenhout 23 (0)
Total 318 (45)
Managerial career
2013–2015 Feyenoord (U14)
2015–2017 Feyenoord (U16)
2017–2020 ADO Den Haag (assistant)
2021–2022 NAC Breda
2023 Roda JC
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Edwin de Graaf (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɛtʋɪn də ˈɣraːf]; born 30 April 1980) is a Dutch football manager and former player.

Career

Club career

De Graaf is a midfielder who was born in The Hague and made his debut in professional football, being part of the RBC Roosendaal squad in the 2001–02 season. He also played for Feyenoord and ADO Den Haag before joining NAC Breda.[1]

On 15 June 2010, he signed a two-year deal with Scottish Premier League club Hibernian.[2][3] De Graaf made an "impressive" performance in his home debut for Hibs, scoring two goals in a 3–2 defeat by NK Maribor.[4] His later performances were not as productive, however, as he missed clear goalscoring chances in games against Rangers,[5] Inverness[6] and Kilmarnock.[7]

De Graaf struggled to hold down a place under Hughes' successor, Colin Calderwood, and was loaned to Excelsior for the remainder of the 2010–11 season.[8] Calderwood stated in April 2011 that he had received good reports about De Graaf's performances for Excelsior and confirmed that he would return to Easter Road for the 2011–12 season.[9] His contract with Hibernian was terminated and he signed for Excelsior on 1 September 2011.[10][11]

International career

De Graaf has represented the Netherlands B national football team five times.[3]

Coaching career

Feyenoord

Retiring in the summer 2013, De Graaf was hired as head coach of Feyenoord's U14s.[12]

Drunk driving

In March 2015, De Graaf was arrested after he was driving under the influence of alcohol, causing an accident on the highway half past three in the night. De Graaf drove into his predecessor on the highway near Zoetermeer with his Opel. The victim's car would be a total loss. De Graaf decided not to stop, but shortly afterwards he was put aside by the police.[13] An investigation by Feyenoord later showed that De Graaf had 'slightly exceeded the maximum permitted alcohol level at the time of the incident. For that reason, he only received a 'strong warning' from the club and was not fired. He continued in his position as head coach of the club's U16s.[14] However, shortly before the start of the 2017–18 season, De Graaf decided to leave the club to seek for a new challenge.[15]

ADO Den Haag

A few hours after leaving Feyenoord, it was confirmed that de Graaf had been appointed assistant manager to Alfons Groenendijk at ADO Den Haag.[16] In December 2019, an heated conflict took place between ADO-player, Donny Gorter, and de Graaf. A brawl allegedly started, after which technical manager Jeffrey van As decided to send De Graaf home. On 9 January 2020, the club confirmed that de Graaf's contract had been terminated.[17]

Roda

On 24 January 2023, de Graaf was hired by Roda JC in Eerste Divisie until the end of the 2022–23 season.[18] In April 2023, it was announced that his contract would not be extended, and that he would leave at the end of the season.[19]

References

  1. ^ "Edwin de Graaf" (in Dutch). Voetbal International. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  2. ^ "Edwin de Graaf signs for Hibernian". Hibernian Football Club. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  3. ^ a b "Hibernian sign Dutch midfielder Edwin de Graaf". BBC Sport. 15 June 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  4. ^ "Hibernian 2–3 NK Maribor (agg 2–6)". BBC Sport. 5 August 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  5. ^ Campbell, Andy (22 August 2010). "Hibernian 0–3 Rangers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  6. ^ "Hibernian 1–1 Inverness CT". BBC Sport. 11 September 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  7. ^ "Kilmarnock 3–1 Hibernian". BBC Sport. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  8. ^ "De Graaf swaps Hibs for Excelsior". STV. 31 January 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
  9. ^ Schweitzer-Thompson, Alex (22 April 2011). "De Graaf to figure again for Hibs". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
  10. ^ "Edwin de Graaf out, Adam Mitter in at Hibs". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 September 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  11. ^ "Excelsior trekt transfervrije routinier De Graaf aan". Voetbal International (in Dutch). 1 September 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  12. ^ Lisse verliest steunpilaar Edwin de Graaf aan Feyenoord, omroepwest.nl, 8 April 2013
  13. ^ Dronken jeugdtrainer Feyenoord rijdt door na ongeval, 16 March 2015
  14. ^ De Graaf na 'stevige waarschuwing' terug bij Feyenoord, fcupdate.nl, 26 March 2016
  15. ^ Spartaan op stage bij MVV, De Graaf weg bij Feyenoord, fcupdate.nl, 31 July 2017
  16. ^ EDWIN DE GRAAF NIEUWE ASSISTENT-TRAINER ADO DEN HAAG, adodenhaag.nl, 31 July 2017
  17. ^ Conflict met Gorter kost assistent De Graaf de kop bij ADO, ed.nl, 9 January 2020
  18. ^ "EDWIN DE GRAAF NIEUWE HOOFDTRAINER RODA JC" [EDWIN DE GRAAF NEW HEAD COACH RODA JC] (in Dutch). Roda JC. 24 January 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  19. ^ "Roda JC neemt alweer afscheid van Edwin de Graaf". Voetbal International (in Dutch). 19 April 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.