Arjan Swinkels

Arjan Swinkels (born 15 October 1984) is a retired Dutch professional footballer who played as a centre-back. He is currently the head of Willem II's youth department.

Arjan Swinkels
Swinkels in 2020
Personal information
Date of birth (1984-10-15) 15 October 1984
Place of birth Moergestel, Netherlands
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Willem II (head of youth)
Youth career
1990–1993 Audacia Moergestel
1993–2003 Willem II
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2012 Willem II 158 (13)
2012–2015 Lierse 62 (1)
2015–2016 Roda JC Kerkrade 45 (0)
2016–2018 Beerschot Wilrijk 59 (2)
2018–2020 KV Mechelen 54 (2)
2020–2021 VVV-Venlo 20 (0)
2021–2022 Esperanza Pelt
Managerial career
2021–2022 Willem II (youth coach)
2022– Willem II (head of youth)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Swinkels made his Eredivisie debut against Roda JC, 18 September 2005. The following season, Swinkels was mostly on the bench, but in the Spring, he began playing regularly. In the last round, he saved a ball on the goalline, which meant that Willem II was safe of relegation. In the new season, Swinkels began playing as centre-back instead of injured Delano Hill. Since then, Swinkels has been a regular starter.

After signing for Lierse in the summer of 2012, Swinkels suffered a long time injury as he tore his Meniscus[1][2]

On 2 February 2015, Swinkels signed until the end of the season with Dutch Eerste Divisie side Roda JC Kerkrade.[3] With that club he forced promotion to the Eredivisie via the 2015 play-offs, at the expense of NAC Breda. A year later, he contributed to reaching 14th place.

After two seasons at Roda JC, Swinkels did not accept an offer to extend his contract with the club. Instead, he signed a contract in June 2016 until mid-2018 with Beerschot Wilrijk, who had been promoted to the Belgian National Division 1 in Belgium in the previous season.[4] Swinkels immediately helped Beerschot Wilrijk to the Belgian First Division B. There was almost a second promotion in a row for Swinkels with Beerschot Wilrijk, but Cercle Brugge proved too strong in the title matches. After two years in a row having been named "Man of the Season" by fans, Swinkels moved to Mechelen as a free agent.[5] In his first year in Mechelen he had a successful season, becoming champion of the Belgian First Division B and winning the Belgian Cup.[6][7] His contract was not renewed at the end of his second year. The 35-year-old Swinkels returned to the Netherlands, where he signed a one-year contract with Eredivisie club VVV-Venlo with the option for another year.[8]

Later career

On 1 September 2021, he moved to Belgian amateur club Esperanza Pelt.[9] Two months later, on 1 November 2021, his former club Willem II confirmed, that Swinkels had been appointed youth coach at the club.[10] In May 2022, Swinkels was appointed head of the clubs youth department, why he also had to hang up his boots as an active football player.[11]

Honours

Mechelen

References
  1. "Lierse signs Willem II club icon" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2012-04-30.
  2. "Lierse loses new signing Swinkels for two months" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2012-07-06.
  3. Roda JC reageert snel en haalt transfervrije verdediger aan boord (Dutch). Voetbalprimeur. 2 February 2015.
  4. "Arjan Swinkels: "Emotioneel en qua ambitie zat het bij mij meteen goed bij KFCO Beerschot Wilrijk"". Beerschot Wilrijk (in Dutch). 24 June 2016. Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  5. "Arjan Swinkels tekent bij KVM". KV Mechelen (in Dutch). 12 April 2018. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  6. Van Gael, Hannes; Van Lindt, Aernout (19 March 2019). "Zo beleefde KV Mechelen 1 jaar in Eerste Klasse". Voetbalkrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  7. "Tweedeklasser KV Mechelen wint Beker van België na 1-2 stuntzege tegen AA Gent". De Morgen (in Dutch). 1 May 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  8. "Verdediger Swinkels naar VVV-Venlo". VVV-Venlo (in Dutch). 13 July 2020. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  9. "3 nieuwkomers voor Esperanza Pelt" (in Dutch). Esperanza Pelt. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  10. Arjan Swinkels krijgt functie op het oude nest, voetbalkrant.com, 1 November 2021
  11. Arjan Swinkels krijgt nieuwe functie bij ex-club: "Al heel mijn leven nauw verbonden met Willem II", voetbalkrant.com, 17 May 2022
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