Robert Maaskant has accepted the head coaching gig with NAC Breda. Photo/Crew Sc
[dropcap]C[/dropcap]rew SC Assistant Coach Robert Maaskant is departing the club to take a job as head coach in his native country of Holland.
Maaskant, 45, will be taking the reigns once again at NAC Breda, who currently compete in the Eridivisie, the highest tier of Dutch football. The club sacked manager Nebojša Gudelj in October, and have been in the hands of caretaker Eric Hellemons, who was an assistant at the club in addition to serving as head coach at SC Gastel.
“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.”
In his previous stint from 2008-10 with Breda, Maaskant led the club to finishes of eighth and tenth place. He departed in August 2010 to take the job at Wisła Kraków, where he led the storied team to the Polish Cup. After several other stops, he joined Columbus on a one-year deal in January 2014.
“We want to thank Robert for his contributions and his time spent in Columbus,” said 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.”
