John van den Brom, a well-known former Jupiler Pro League coach, has worked for RSC Anderlecht and KRC Genk among others. Although his debut in these clubs made an impression, the following seasons were more complicated, and the Dutch coach was unable to prolong his success there. Last year, Van den Brom was close to a return to the Jupiler Pro League.
KAS Eupen approached Van den Brom
In March 2024, when Florian Kohfeldt resigned as coach of KAS Eupen, the club was considering Van den Brom to replace him. Without commitment at that time, Van den Brom spoke with Dimitri De Condé, the sporting director of Racing Genk, with whom he maintains good relations.
In the podcast Terril TalksDe Condé reveals that Van den Brom contacted him to find out more about Eupen and assess the club’s chances of remaining in JPL. De Condé had confided to him that Eupen’s situation would be very complicated, a prognosis which was confirmed since Eupen was ultimately relegated.
A return to Vitesse despite difficulties
Faced with uncertainties in Belgium, Van den Brom opted for a return to Vitesse, a historic club in the Netherlands but plagued by serious financial problems. Downgraded to the second division due to licensing concerns, Vitesse is fighting for its survival. The situation is delicate, because although the team ultimately recovered six points in the league despite an initial penalty of -6, debts and complications surrounding the club’s takeover continue to threaten its future.
After notable spells at AGOVV, ADO Den Haag, FC Utrecht, AZ Alkmaar, Al-Taawoun and Lech Poznan, Van den Brom now faces a major challenge in trying to stabilize Vitesse, currently bottom of the Dutch second division.
