Ruud Krol is the new coach for Harambee Stars, Goal can exclusively reveal.
Football Kenya Federation is set to unveil the former Dutch footballer, who was capped 83 times for his native country, in May, 2018.
Goal understands that a deal has already been struck between the federation and the former star, who in most of his career played for his home town club Ajax.
“We have reached a deal with Krol and he will be unveiled in the first week of May,” a source confirmed to Goal.
Krol, who mainly played as a sweeper or left back, will replace Belgian coach Paul Put, who resigned three months into his contract citing personal reasons.
Krol will replace Paul Put
Krol made his debut for the Netherlands in 1969 against England, and would go on to earn 83 caps, retiring from international football in 1983. He was a crucial component in the Total Football side of the 1970s.
A versatile defender, he could play in any position along the back four or midfield. In the 1974 Fifa World Cup, in which the Netherlands reached the final, Krol primarily played at left-back. He created Cruijff's goal against Brazil and scored a 25-yard screamer against Argentina.
In his managerial career, he has been head coach of Egypt, and has been assistant manager of the Netherlands (under Frank Rijkaard and Louis van Gaal) and Ajax (under Ronald Koeman). He became interim manager of Ajax after the resignation of Koeman.
He was manager of AC Ajaccio in France Ligue 2 from 2006 to 2007. He returned as manager of Egyptian giants Zamalek in August 2007.
He had previously managed them from 1994 to 1999, winning the Egyptian Cup in 1999, the African Cup of Champions Clubs in 1996 and the Afro-Asian Club Championship 1997, the last two being the biggest club level prizes available to Caf clubs.
Okumbi is the current interim coach
Krol's return to Zamalek was meant to be a stabilizing presence, the club having gone through several managers in the preceding two seasons. His stay however, would be a short one.
He ended his sole season by winning one Egyptian Cup with Zamalek, within one season he would leave and sign a three-year contract with the South African giants Orlando Pirates.
In the three years with the Orlando Pirates he won two South African cups (and a finalist once) and won the national league, all in his last year in charge of the team. Those cups include MTN8 and Nedbank Cup. Despite that success his contract was not renewed.
He won the Tunisian championship with CS Sfaxien, one of the best teams in Africa, in 2012 - 2013, after a fierce battle with the other three of the Tunisian big four. After that success, he was contacted to lead the Tunisian national team in the play-off qualifying to the 2014 World Cup against Cameroon.
Krol will join Harambee Stars technical bench that has interim coach Stanley Okumbi and will be charged with the task of guiding the team past Ghana in the Afcon qualifier set for September.
