The die is cast: John van den Brom will become the new RSC Anderlecht coach. The 45-year-old former pro football player from Amersfoort signed a three-season contract at the Purple & White. He follows in the footsteps of Ariël Jacobs, who is to leave RSCA after five seasons.

"I am very glad that we have found a new coach this quickly", president Roger Vanden Stock started the press conference. "We will work together for the next three years at least. I know that a contract for three years is not usual for Anderlecht, but we believe in the qualities of the coach. The future will show whether we are right about this."

"I am very glad to be coach here and I am especially proud that a big club like Anderlecht considered me", John van den Brom said during the press conference. "Anderlecht means nice and good football, the kind that I like myself. I will make sure that we bring attractive football. I know that everyone says this when they are first introduced, but I will go for it 100%. With these players you can’t but bring offensive football." The first introduction to his new club was a more than positive one. "The visit to the home of the president was really warm and what I saw at Neerpede afterwards... Amazing and I have seen a lot of things - first as a player and then as a coach", he said. "When you see all of this, you just can’t wait to start."

Van den Brom is not bringing an assistant from Holland, as the coach finds that there are enough people to help him present at Sporting. "My ambition is to take the title the next three years. The president told me to say that", he laughed. "But of course I want that myself, as I am finally part of a club who can and maybe have to take the title." And the Champions League, a goal as well? "We all know how important it is for the club to play the CL. It is a nice challenge and we will do everything we can to make it through those two qualifying rounds."

Van den Brom emphasized that he is planning on giving the youth opportunities. “I will try to fit as many young players as possible into the team. I have always, at every club I’ve worked at, focused on young players", he stated. "I know that there is a lot of young talent here and it is a challenge for me personally to try and let them come through. During preparation I will have the chance to see the U-21, the generation closest to the first team. If you never give your youngsters a chance, you will never know whether they are good enough to make it in the first team or not..."

John van den Brom started his coaching career at AGOVV in the Jupiler League, the Dutch second division. He worked there from the season 2007-2008 up to and including the season 2009-2010 and managed to turn the club into a steady first-division team in three years’ time. The next season van den Brom went to first-division team ADO Den Haag. The Dutch coach was immediately successful there and provided his new team with European football for the first time since the season 1986-1987. He was also nominated for coach of the season 2010-2011, but had to let Michel Preud'homme, the then FC Twente coach, come first. At the beginning of the season 2011-2012 he opted for an adventure at SBV Vitesse, the club where he was successful as a player in the past. Like the year before with ADO Den Haag, the Dutch coach provided the Arnhem-based club with results. Van den Brom took European football for the club for the first time in ten years. Vitesse will start the European season 2012-2013 in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.

Player’s career :
1986-1993 Vitesse
1993-1995 Ajax
1995-1996 Istanbulspor
1996-2000 Vitesse
2001-2003 De Graafschap

Van den Brom was also selected for the Dutch national team in the period 1990-1993. He played two games and scored one time.

Coaching career :
2007-2010 AGOVV
2010-2011 ADO Den Haag
2011-2012 Vitesse
2012- ... RSC Anderlecht

Watch the video of the press conference here :