RUUD DOKTER WILL leave his position as the FAI’s High Performance Director at the end of the year.
“I have informed CEO Jonathan Hill and the Board of the FAI that I will be leaving my role on December 31st,” said Dokter. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the FAI and I will be forever proud of the work that we have undertaken together at the FAI and the positive moves we have made for the game in Ireland.”
Under the FAI’s new strategic plan – currently in development – his role will be changed to a ‘Director of Football’ role, which will be advertised.
The Dutchman was appointed to the role by John Delaney in 2013, replacing compatriot Wim Koevermans, and was given a five-year contract extension in 2015.
He was a central figure to the FAI’s 2015 Player Development Plan and presided over the introduction of national underage leagues, with the amalgamation of some established schoolboy clubs with League of Ireland academies causing friction.
Unease between Dokter and some parts of the game in Ireland have lingered. The Schoolboy Football Association of Ireland informed the FAI in 2019 that they had passed a motion of no confidence in Dokter when it emerged he was set for a contract extension, while last year then-executives Gary Owens and Niall Quinn had to talk the Dublin and District Schoolboy League out of breaking from the Player Development plan with a planned revert to 11v11 from 9v9 at U12 level.
Elsewhere, Dokter is widely credited with expanding the FAI’s Coach Education programme, was centrally involved in the appointment of Vera Pauw as women’s senior manager, and he also briefly coached the men’s senior team with Noel King after Giovanni Trapattoni was sacked.
“Ruud can be proud of his time with the FAI and leaves with our best wishes”, said CEO Jonathan Hill. “The establishment of the Player Development Plan, the creation of a clear philosophy for underage football across the country and the growth and high standards of our Coach Education offering, as recognised by both Fifa and Uefa has seen a flow of young players now coming into our senior international set-ups and this is all testament to his work over the years. On behalf of everyone at the FAI, I wish Ruud and his family well in the future.”
Both senior managers paid tribute to Dokter.
“It has been a great experience for me working with Ruud for almost three years, firstly with the U21s and then the senior international team”, said Stephen Kenny. “The players and their development were at the centre of every decision he took as he helped create and foster an ego free culture amongst the coaches. Ruud would always ask the question ‘what is best for the player’. Having studied different development plans and systems throughout Europe he had a clear vision of how to develop players in Ireland and was prepared to make unpopular decisions to improve the development of football in Ireland and the culture supporting that.
“He helped instil good values in all the coaches of the international teams and encouraged a healthy working relationship so that players could move freely throughout the age groups with their progress at the epicentre of all of the decisions. On a personal note I have never heard Ruud raise his voice, he treats everyone with respect and is always an absolute gentleman and I want to wish him the very best for the future.”
Vera Pauw, meanwhile, “throughout my coaching career I have had nothing but respect for my colleague Ruud and I was really excited to finally get the chance to work with him again when I took on the Ireland women’s team role in 2019. He was a huge influence in that decision and really sold his vision for the women’s game in Ireland to me. The FAI will have a big task to find someone who can pursue the road of all development programs that have been developed.”
Dokter was once Pauw’s manager at international level with the Netherlands.
