After nearly three months without a full-time head coach, FC Cincinnati has hired Ron Jans to fill the vacancy.
The Dutch manager has signed a contract with the MLS club through Dec. 31, 2022.
Jans becomes Cincinnati’s third manager during the expansion club’s first season in Major League Soccer. He replaces interim head coach Yoann Damet, who was promoted to the post from his previous role as an assistant under former head coach under Alan Koch. Koch was dismissed May 7 following a 2-7-2 start to life in MLS.
“We are excited to get Ron involved with the team as soon as possible and leading us the rest of the season,” FC Cincinnati general manager Gerard Nijkamp said in a statement released Sunday. “He has a pedigree of success and guiding strong clubs, especially through difficult transitions to championships.”
FC Cincinnati (5-17-2, 17 points) currently sits dead last in the Eastern Conference.
Jans, 60, is a native of Zwolle, Netherlands, and most recently managed at PEC Zwolle from 2013 to 2017. In Cincinnati, Jans will link up once again with newly-appointed FC Cincinnati general manager Gerard Nijkamp. Formerly the technical director at Zwolle, Nijkamp was responsible for hiring Jans during his spell with the Eredivisie club.
“I’m very appreciative of Gerard, Jeff Berding and the club’s ownership group for their confidence in bringing me to FC Cincinnati,” Jans said. “This club has drawn a lot of attention in Europe and football fans are very interested in the progress of the club, which is why this opportunity is so exciting. My challenge is realizing our immense potential and I am really looking forward of being part of that development and making the fans even prouder to support FC Cincinnati.”
In 159 matches in charge at Zwolle, Jans posted a 62-62-35 record with his side averaging 1.39 points per match. In his first season in charge, he guided the newly promoted club to a Dutch Cup final triumph with a 5-1 win over the famed Ajax of Amsterdam.
Prior to his time with Zwolle, the Dutchman also managed at Belgium’s Standard Liège (2012), Holland’s Heerenveen (2010-2012) and FC Groningen (2002-2010). Since leaving Zwolle in 2017, he has served as the technical director at FC Groningen.
Jans also had a 15-year playing career prior to moving over to the touchline. He featured most prominently for his hometown club of Zwolle, tallying 44 goals in 157 matches as a striker for the Bluefingers.
Damet will remain on Jans’ staff, reassuming his role as FCC’s top assistant. Though Damet posted a 3-10-0 record during his interim spell in charge, the club recognized the difficult task he was charged with.
“As a club, we also have to give a big recognition and thank you to Yoann for all the work he has done as our caretaker coach the last few months,” Nijkamp added. “He did not come into an easy role and he had a lot of work to do to create a way of playing and cultivating positivity. We’ve been very happy with all of his efforts and the hard work he’s done in the interim to get us going in the right direction.”
Current goalkeeping coach Jack Stern will also remain on staff with Damet, with each signing a contract extension through the end of 2022.
Joining them on Jans’ staff is new assistant Ivar van Dinteren. Already familiar with the southwest Ohio area, Van Dinteren previously played and managed the Dayton Dutch Lions during the team’s spell in what was then USL Pro. He most recently was the reserve coach Almere City FC of the dutch second flight.
Van Dinteren replaces former assistant coach Pa-Modou Kah, who has departed the club to pursue other professional opportunities.