Jaap Stam

Jakob Stam (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈjaːp ˈstɑm]; born 17 July 1972) is a Dutch professional football coach and former player. As a player, he played as a centre-back and is regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation.[4][5][6][7][8]

Jaap Stam
Jaap Stam in 2006
Personal information
Full name Jakob Stam[1]
Date of birth (1972-07-17) 17 July 1972[1][2]
Place of birth Kampen, Netherlands
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[3][2]
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
1988–1992 DOS Kampen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1993 FC Zwolle 32 (1)
1993–1995 SC Cambuur 66 (3)
1995–1996 Willem II 19 (1)
1996–1998 PSV Eindhoven 76 (12)
1998–2001 Manchester United 79 (1)
2001–2004 Lazio 70 (3)
2004–2006 Milan 42 (1)
2006–2007 Ajax 31 (1)
Total 415 (23)
National team
1996–2004 Netherlands 67 (3)
Teams managed
2009 PEC Zwolle (caretaker)
2014–2016 Jong Ajax
2016–2018 Reading
2018–2019 PEC Zwolle
2019 Feyenoord
2020–2021 FC Cincinnati
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Stam played for several European clubs including PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Lazio, Milan and Ajax before retiring in October 2007. As well as club trophies, he won several personal awards, including being voted the best defender in the 1998–99 and 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League, as well as being included in three consecutive PFA Team of the Year sides from 1999 to 2001. Stam played 67 international matches for the Netherlands, scoring three goals. He was in their squads for three UEFA European Championships and the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

After retiring as a player, Stam worked as a coach at PEC Zwolle and Ajax before making his managerial debut with Reading in 2016. He later managed Feyenoord in 2019 and FC Cincinnati of Major League Soccer.

Club career

Early career

Born in Kampen,[1] Overijssel, Stam started his career with local amateur football club DOS Kampen. On 15 August 1992, Stam made his professional debut for FC Zwolle in a 1–1 draw against SC Heracles in the Eerste Divisie. He became a first team regular right away and moved to Eredivisie club Cambuur Leeuwarden for the following season, but relegated in his first season which brought him back into the Eerste Divisie. Two seasons at Cambuur earned him a transfer to Eredivisie club Willem II. At Willem II, he immediately impressed at the Eredivisie level, which meant his final breakthrough. A shock 1–0 home victory over Ajax led to Stam's transfer to PSV Eindhoven in the same season in which they eventually won the KNVB Cup, his first professional trophy.

PSV

Stam was a key player for PSV in the 1996–97 season, as the team won the Eredivisie league championship and the Johan Cruyff Shield. Individually, Stam won the VVCS Footballer of the Year award.

In 1998, Stam became the then most expensive defender in history when Manchester United bought him for £10.6 million.[9]

Manchester United

Stam spent three seasons at Manchester United, during which time United won three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, the Intercontinental Cup and the UEFA Champions League. He scored his only goal for the club in a 6–2 away victory against Leicester City.[10]

Early in the 2001–02 season, Stam was controversially sold to Lazio in Italy after Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was reportedly upset by allegations Stam had made in his autobiography Head to Head about the club. Stam made numerous statements in the book about his views on opposing players, and alleged that Ferguson's approach to buy him was done without the permission of PSV.[11] Later, Simon Kuper reported that contrary to initial belief, Ferguson had noticed that Stam's tackling numbers were declining and simply assumed the defender was past his playing peak.[12] Laurent Blanc was signed as his replacement.

In 2007, however, Ferguson described the decision to sell Stam as an error: "At the time he had just come back from an achilles injury and we thought he had just lost a little bit. We got the offer from Lazio, £16.5m for a centre back who was 29. It was an offer I couldn't refuse. But in playing terms it was a mistake. He is still playing for Ajax at a really good level."[13] On the financial report, Manchester United announced the fee was £15.3 million;[14] Lazio declared the fee was £16 million.[15]

Lazio

During his time with Lazio, Stam was found guilty of having the banned steroid nandrolone in his system following a Serie A game,[16] and received a five-month ban, which was eventually reduced by a month after appeals.[17] He was the second Lazio player suspended in 2001, after Fernando Couto. In his last season at the club, he won the Coppa Italia.

Milan

Stam joined Milan after UEFA Euro 2004. He reached his second Champions League final with the Rossoneri in 2005, but was a runner-up after his team was defeated by Liverpool in a penalty shoot-out.[18]

Ajax

On 30 January 2006, it was announced that he would return to the Eredivisie and play for Ajax, where he signed a two-year contract for a €2.5 million transfer fee. Stam was named team captain upon his arrival at the club.[19] In his first season, he won both the Johan Cruyff Shield and the KNVB Cup; another Johan Cruyff Shield was added to his trophies at the start of the 2007–08 season.

On 29 October 2007, Stam announced his retirement from professional football with immediate effect after playing six league games for Ajax in the 2007–08 league season. His final game was in a 0–0 draw against NEC on 20 October 2007.

International career
Stam (top center) with Jorge Andrade (left), Cristiano Ronaldo (bottom center) and Giovanni van Bronckhorst (right) during Holland's Euro 2004 semi-final against Portugal. This was his final match for the country.

Stam made his debut for the Netherlands on 24 April 1996 in a 1–0 friendly defeat to Germany in Rotterdam. He was not initially chosen for UEFA Euro 1996, but was later added to the squad after an injury ruled out Frank de Boer; he did not however make any appearances at the tournament. He scored his first goal on 6 September 1997 in a 3–1 home win over rivals Belgium in World Cup qualification. He was also an important player in the Dutch team that finished fourth in the 1998 FIFA World Cup.[20]

During UEFA Euro 2000, he once again reached the semi-finals with the Dutch team, hosted in his home country and Belgium. Stam missed his attempt in the penalty shoot-out in the semi-finals, hitting the ball over the bar in a defeat against Italy. He was not originally scheduled to take a penalty, but had to due to substitutions and fatigue among his teammates.[21]

Stam reached his third semi-finals in an international competition with his nation at UEFA Euro 2004 in Portugal and retired from international football after the tournament. The reason cited for his international retirement was that he wanted to focus on his new team, Milan, as well as his family.[22]

In total, he played 67 matches for the Netherlands, scoring three goals.[20]

Playing style

Considered by several pundits to be one of the best defenders of his generation, as well as one of the greatest Dutch and Premier League defenders in history,[4][5][6][7][8] Stam played primarily as a centre-back. He was known for possessing "a rare combination of speed, strength and ball-playing ability",[23] as well as an excellent positional sense,[24] and a powerful shot.[25] Due to his wide range of skills, in his prime he was also capable of playing as a full-back on the right flank.[26][27]

Post-playing career

In October 2008, Stam returned to Manchester United as a scout for the club, responsible for most of South America.[28]

Soccer Aid

Stam has been involved with Soccer Aid, which puts celebrities and football legends together in two teams (England and Rest of the World) for a charity game in aid of UNICEF. Stam has appeared in five Soccer Aid matches 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018.[29]

Coaching and managerial career
Stam (right) during his period with PEC Zwolle
Stam (centre) with FC Cincinnati in August 2020

In 2009, Stam became an assistant coach for PEC Zwolle, and on 30 October was appointed caretaker manager.[30] Following his stint with Zwolle, Stam penned a three-year contract with Ajax in 2013 as an assistant coach, and as defensive coach starting in the 2013–14 Eredivisie season.[31] On 28 May 2014, Stam was revealed as one of the new managers of Jong Ajax, the reserve team in the Eerste Divisie. He was joined by Andries Ulderink and they signed a contract beginning on 1 July 2014 and lasting until 30 June 2016.[32][33]

Reading

On 13 June 2016, Stam was appointed as manager of English Championship club Reading on an initial two-year contract.[34] He enjoyed a successful first season with the club, leading them to the Championship play-offs. On 4 July 2017, Stam signed a new two-year contract extension with Reading, keeping him at the club until 2019.[35] On 21 March 2018, Reading announced that Stam had left the club with immediate effect following a run of one win in 18 league matches left the team 20th in the league table.[36]

PEC Zwolle

On 28 December 2018, Stam was appointed as the new manager of Eredivisie club PEC Zwolle on a year-and-a-half contract.[37]

Feyenoord

On 6 March 2019, Feyenoord announced that Stam would succeed Giovanni van Bronckhorst as Feyenoord's new manager. He signed a two-year contract, effective 1 June 2019.[38] Following a 0–4 defeat to Ajax, Stam resigned on 28 October 2019, saying "I've thought about this for a long time. My final conclusion is that it's better for the club, the players and myself if I step aside."[39][40]

FC Cincinnati

On 21 May 2020, Major League Soccer club FC Cincinnati announced that Stam would succeed interim manager Yoann Damet. He signed a year-and-a-half contract.[41] On 15 July, he won 1–0 on his debut against an Atlanta United FC side managed by his former international teammate Frank de Boer.[42]

Stam was dismissed on 27 September 2021, with Cincinnati second-from-bottom in the Eastern Conference having won four of 25 games.[43]

Personal life

Stam is a Protestant.[44] He met his wife Ellis when he was 16,[45] and they have two daughters and twin sons.[46] His first daughter's birth was induced two weeks early, to come between the 1998 World Cup and pre-season training for Manchester United.[45] When he played for Manchester United, he lived in Wilmslow in Cheshire.[45]

Career statistics

Club

[47][48]

Club Season League National cup League cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Zwolle 1992–93 Eerste Divisie 321———321
Cambuur 1993–94 Eredivisie 331———331
1994–95 Eerste Divisie 332———332
Total 663———663
Willem II 1995–96 Eredivisie 191———191
PSV Eindhoven 1995–96 Eredivisie 14140———181
1996–97 Eredivisie 33720—4[lower-alpha 1]01[lower-alpha 2]0407
1997–98 Eredivisie 29450—5[lower-alpha 3]01[lower-alpha 2]0404
Total 7612110—90209812
Manchester United 1998–99 Premier League 301700013[lower-alpha 3]01[lower-alpha 4]0511
1999–2000 Premier League 330—0013[lower-alpha 3]05[lower-alpha 5]0510
2000–01 Premier League 15010006[lower-alpha 3]01[lower-alpha 4]0230
2001–02 Premier League 100000001[lower-alpha 4]020
Total 7918000320801271
Lazio 2001–02 Serie A 131——5[lower-alpha 3]0—181
2002–03 Serie A 28020—4[lower-alpha 6]0—340
2003–04 Serie A 29260—7[lower-alpha 3]1—423
Total 70380—161—944
Milan 2004–05 Serie A 17020—8[lower-alpha 3]11[lower-alpha 7]0281
2005–06 Serie A 25130—9[lower-alpha 3]0—371
Total 42150—17110652
Ajax 2006–07 Eredivisie 25141—11[lower-alpha 8]01[lower-alpha 2]0412
2007–08 Eredivisie 60——4[lower-alpha 6]01[lower-alpha 2]0110
Total 31141—15020522
Career total 415233610089213055326
  1. Appearances in UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
  2. Appearance in Johan Cruyff Shield
  3. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  4. Appearance in FA Charity Shield
  5. One appearance in FA Charity Shield, one appearance in UEFA Super Cup, one appearance in Intercontinental Cup, two appearances in FIFA Club World Championship
  6. Appearances in UEFA Cup
  7. Appearance in Supercoppa Italiana
  8. Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, seven appearances in UEFA Cup

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[49]

National team YearAppsGoals
Netherlands 199640
199761
1998141
199941
200080
200170
200250
200390
2004100
Total673

Managerial statistics
As of match played 26 September 2021
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record Ref
PWDLWin %
Reading 13 June 2016 21 March 2018 98 40 23 35 040.8 [36][50]
PEC Zwolle 28 December 2018 31 May 2019 17 7 3 7 041.2 [50]
Feyenoord 1 June 2019 28 October 2019 18 7 6 5 038.9 [50]
FC Cincinnati 21 May 2020 27 September 2021 47 8 13 26 017.0
Total 180 62 45 73 034.4

*Some of Stam's record comes from the MLS is Back tournament. However, the tournament is essentially the MLS 2020 season.

Honours
Stam with Ajax in 2010

PSV[51]

  • Eredivisie: 1996–97
  • KNVB Cup: 1995–96
  • Johan Cruyff Shield: 1996, 1997

Manchester United[52][51]

Lazio

  • Coppa Italia: 2003–04

Milan

  • Supercoppa Italiana: 2004

Ajax[51]

  • KNVB Cup: 2006–07
  • Johan Cruyff Shield: 2006, 2007

Individual

  • Dutch Footballer of the Year: 1997[51]
  • Dutch Golden Boot: 1997[51]
  • UEFA Club Best Defender of the Year: 1998–99, 1999–2000[51]
  • PFA Team of the Year: 1998–99 Premier League, 1999–2000 Premier League, 2000–01 Premier League[51]
  • ESM Team of the Year: 1998–99
  • Overseas Team of the Decade – Premier League 10 Seasons Awards (1992–93 – 2001–02)
  • FIFPro World XI Nominee 2005[53]

Books
  • Stam, J., with Butler, J. (contrib.) (2002), Head to Head, Willow Publishing, ISBN 978-0-00-711709-3

References
  1. "Jaap Stam". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  2. "Jaap Stam: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  3. "Jaap Stam". S.S. Lazio. Archived from the original on 23 April 2003. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  4. "The 25 Greatest Centre Backs of All Time - Ranked". 90min.com. 24 April 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  5. "50 Greatest Defenders in World Football History". bleacherreport.com. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  6. "The 8 Greatest Central Defenders in Netherlands History". bleacherreport.com. 22 September 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  7. "From 15 to 1: The greatest centre-backs in Premier League history". squawka.com. 7 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  8. "Top 10 Best Central Defenders in Premier League History". sportskeeda.com. 7 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  9. "Stam the man as Reds fork out record £10m". The Independent. 27 April 1998. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  10. Jones, Ken (16 January 1999). "O'Neill faces up to Premiership's harsh reality". The Independent. London. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  11. "Interview: Jaap Stam". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  12. Kuper, Simon; Szymanski, Stefan (2012). Soccernomics: Why England Loses, Why Spain, Germany, and Brazil Win, and Why the U.S., Japan, Australia, Turkey—And Even Iraq—Are Destined to Become the Kings of the World's Most Popular Sport. New York, NY: Nation Books. p. 148. ISBN 978-1-56858-701-1.
  13. Harris, Nick (6 September 2007). "Ferguson will never talk to the BBC again". The Independent. London. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  14. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. "Stam alla Lazio" (Press release) (in Italian). Rome: S.S. Lazio. 26 August 2001. Archived from the original on 12 January 2002. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  16. "Stam suspension upheld". BBC. 17 November 2001. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
  17. "Stam cleared to return". BBC. 4 March 2002. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
  18. "AC Milan 3–3 Liverpool (aet)". BBC Sport. 25 May 2005. Retrieved 15 April 2007.
  19. "Jaap Stam captains Ajax". Ajax English. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  20. "Jaap Stam - International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  21. Khan, Danyal (30 June 2020). "Jaap Stam: I wasn't supposed to take penalty at Euro 2000". Sky Sports. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  22. "Stam steps down". UEFA. 26 May 2004. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  23. "Player Profile". BBC Sport. 14 May 2000. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  24. "Shevchenko appannato, Passoni sempre lucido" [Shevchenko obfuscated, Passoni always lucid]. La Repubblica (in Italian). 12 September 2004. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  25. "Gli olandesi che hanno indossato la maglia della Lazio" (in Italian). www.sslazio.it. 6 July 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  26. Enrico Currò (7 February 2005). "Shevchenko e Crespo San Siro tra brividi e gioia". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  27. "Stam: "Datemi lo scudetto"". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 5 August 2004. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  28. "Douglas advised to ignore European interest". Sky Sports. 15 October 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
  29. "Liverpool and Manchester United legends are first football players for Soccer Aid line-up". Unicef. 3 May 2016. Archived from the original on 5 June 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  30. "Jaap Stam". World Soccer Consult. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  31. Langelaar, Jeroen (7 January 2013). "Jaap Stam keert als assistent-coach terug bij Ajax". Elsevier. Netherlands. Archived from the original on 1 April 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  32. Zwartkruis, Simon (28 May 2014). "Duo Stam-Ulderink gaat leiding geven aan Jong Ajax". Voetbal International (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  33. "Stam and Ulderink will coach Ajax Reserves". AFC Ajax official website. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  34. "Jaap Stam appointed as manager". readingfc.co.uk. Reading FC. 13 June 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  35. "Jaap Stam signs new Royals contract". readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 4 July 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  36. "Jaap Stam: Reading manager leaves with club 20th in Championship". BBC Sport. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  37. "Jaap Stam nieuwe trainer PEC Zwolle!" (in Dutch). 28 December 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  38. "Jaap Stam wordt nieuwe hoofdtrainer van Feyenoord" (in Dutch). 6 March 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  39. "Jaap Stam weg bij Feyenoord" (in Dutch). 28 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  40. "Jaap Stam: Feyenoord coach steps down after 4-0 defeat by Ajax". 28 October 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  41. "Jaap Stam named FC Cincinnati Head Coach". FC Cincinnati. 21 May 2020.
  42. "Atlanta United 0-1 FC Cincinnati: Stam wins all-Dutch battle with De Boer". Sports Max. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  43. "Jaap Stam leaves FC Cincinnati with club struggling in Eastern Conference". ESPN FC. 27 September 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  44. Verkamman, Matty (11 July 1998). "'Je bent wereldkampioen en dan is er niet eens een club voor je'". Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  45. Kuper, Simon (2 September 2001). "The outsider". The Observer. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  46. "Jaap Stam: SC Cambuur was prima springplank voor mijn carrière!" (in Dutch). Hallo Leeuwarden. 23 April 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  47. Jaap Stam at National-Football-Teams.com
  48. Jaap Stam at Soccerbase
  49. "Jaap Stam - International Appearances". www.rsssf.com.
  50. "Managers: Jaap Stam". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  51. "Getting to know new FC Cincinnati coach Jaap Stam". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  52. "Jaap Stam: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  53. "The Players - Players - FIFPro World Players' Union". 2 April 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
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