Jan Reker

Jan Reker (, born 3 June 1948) is a Dutch football manager and director.

Reker started his coaching career in the Willem II and PSV Eindhoven youth ranks, which was followed up by the assistant manager role at VVV-Venlo and PSV.

In 1969, Reker became youth coach at Willem II.

Later, he also served as youth coach and academy director at PSV Eindhoven.

In 1977, Reker moved to VVV-Venlo to become assistant manager.

After three years, he returned to PSV to serve as assistant manager under Kees Rijvers.

After half a season as caretaker in 1980, Reker officially served as manager of PSV between 1983 and 1986, winning the Eredivisie title in his last year.

He also coached VVV, Roda JC, Willem II and lastly MVV Maastricht.

When Rijvers was sacked in January 1980, Reker was chosen as caretaker manager for the remainder of the season.

After Thijs Libregts was appointed as the new PSV manager in 1981, Reker returned to his assistant position.

Libregts left in 1983 and PSV subsequently chose Reker as the new coach.

He brought in Guus Hiddink as an assistant manager from De Graafschap, but success remained absent in 1984 and 1985.

It prompted PSV to choose Hans Kraay as director of football and a batch of new players like Ruud Gullit and Eric Gerets.

With Kraay, Reker and Hiddink, PSV secured the Eredivisie title in the 1985-86 season.

In 1986, Reker returned to VVV-Venlo as director of football and manager.

With Sef Vergoossen as coach, they reached the fifth place in the Eredivisie twice.

After two years, he left for Roda JC as the successor of Rob Jacobs.

Reker appointed Willy van der Kuijlen as his assistant.

In the 1988-89 season, Roda JC reached the fifth place in the Eredivisie, narrowly missing out on European qualification.

The team reached the UEFA Cup third round, where it was eliminated by Sredets Sofia after penalties (4-4 on aggregate).

After the first (away) match against Sofia, Reker was suspended for two matches by UEFA after claiming that Reker had provoked the home crowd.

Things improved in the 1989-90 season, when Roda JC claimed the first spot in the Eredivisie after ten league rounds, and were second at the winter break.

Reker also signed a new five-year contract.

Eventually, Roda JC qualified for European football.

In Reker's third season, Roda suffered an early elimination in the UEFA Cup against AS Monaco.

After disappointing league performances, the relationship between Reker and chairman Nol Hendriks deteriorated.

Even though Roda JC finished tenth in the Eredivisie and reached the KNVB Cup semi-finals, Reker decided to resign at the end of the season.

In October 1991, Reker succeeded Piet de Visser as coach of Willem II.

In January 1995, Reker announced he would leave Willem II at the end of the season.

In 1996, Reker became chairman of the Dutch Association of Professional Football Coaches.

In 2007, he was appointed general manager at PSV.

Reker faced the Eredivisie title win in his first year, but subsequent poor performances in later years.

Ronald Koeman and Huub Stevens resigned, and an internal struggle ensued between Reker and other staff, including a public dispute between him and goalkeeper Gomes.

Fan criticism towards Reker reached a peak in early 2009 after a disappointing season.

A year later, a dispute between him and the PSV board led to his departure.

Reker was born in the Strijp area in Eindhoven; his father worked as a greengrocer.

He played youth football at amateur club LEW and FC Eindhoven.

Reker was educated in sport management and earned a degree as a commando during his conscription.

He never played professional football; after his military service he committed himself to football coaching.

During his three-year period at the club, he finished 12th, 10th and eighth in the league.