Van Marwijk to join van Bommel at PSV after Socceroos job is done

Bert van Marwijk’s post-World Cup future has already been sorted out, with the veteran Dutchman agreeing to play second fiddle to his Socceroos assistant Mark van Bommel at PSV Eindhoven next season.

Bert van Marwijk, left, and Mark van Bommel Source: Getty Images

Son-in-law Van Bommel, 41, has been recruited to take the reins of the Dutch giant, with incumbent Phillip Cocu heading to Turkey to take over at Fenerbahce, according to numerous Dutch media outlets.

Cocu, who spent five seasons with PSV, led them to a 24th Eredivisie crown last season, bequeathing van Bommel the perfect platform to launch his senior coaching career, with van Marwijk, 66, at his side.

Former PSV and Netherlands midfielder van Bommel was the first appointment on van Marwijk’s roster of understudies when he replaced Ange Postecoglou as Socceroos coach, after cutting his teeth with PSV’s Under-19s.

Now the roles will be reversed at the conclusion of Australia’s 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign, which begins against France at Kazan Arena on Saturday night (AEST).

This time van Bommel, who Tim Cahill said this week had been hugely influential with Australia riding shotgun with van Marwijk, will call the shots as their partnership continues to evolve.

Van Bommel was instrumental in the Netherlands team which reached the World Cup final under van Marwijk’s leadership in 2010.