Giovanni Franken

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Giovanni Franken

|image =

|image_size =

|caption =

|fullname = Giovanni Francesco Zacharias Franken

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|11|14|df=y}}

|birth_place = Rotterdam, Netherlands

|height =

|position = Midfielder

|currentclub = Shaanxi Union (head coach)

|clubnumber =

|youthyears1 =

|youthclubs1 = Feyenoord

|years1 =

|clubs1 = DOTO

|caps1 =

|goals1 =

|years2 = 1998–1999

|clubs2 = Dordrecht

|caps2 = 5

|goals2 = 0

|years3 = 1999

|clubs3 = VVM

|caps3 =

|goals3 =

|years4 = 1999–2002

|clubs4 = RKC Waalwijk

|caps4 = 8

|goals4 = 0

|years5 = 2002–2006

|clubs5 = DOTO

|caps5 =

|goals5 =

|years6 = 2006–2007

|clubs6 = BVV Barendrecht

|caps6 =

|goals6 =

|years7 = 2007–2011

|clubs7 = RVVH

|caps7 =

|goals7 =

|nationalyears1 = 2004–2008

|nationalteam1 = Netherlands Antilles

|nationalcaps1 = 8

|nationalgoals1 = 0

|manageryears1 = 2010–2011

|managerclubs1 = RVVH (women's team)

|manageryears2 = 2011–2013

|managerclubs2 = RVVH (reserve team)

|manageryears3 = 2013–2018

|managerclubs3 = RVVH

|manageryears4 = 2013–2015

|managerclubs4 = Aruba

|manageryears5 = 2018–2019

|managerclubs5 = Achilles Veen

|manageryears6 = 2019

|managerclubs6 = FC IJsselmonde

|manageryears7 = 2019–2020

|managerclubs7 = ADO Den Haag (U15)

|manageryears8 = 2020–2021

|managerclubs8 = ADO Den Haag (U18)

|manageryears9 = 2021–2022

|managerclubs9 = ADO Den Haag (assistant)

|manageryears10 = 2022

|managerclubs10 = ADO Den Haag (caretaker)

|manageryears11 = 2022–2024

|managerclubs11 = ADO Den Haag (U21)

|manageryears12 = 2024

|managerclubs12 = Curaçao

|manageryears13 = 2025-

|managerclubs13 = Shaanxi Union

}}

Giovanni Francesco Zacharias Franken (born 14 November 1977) is a professional football coach and former player who is the manager of China League One club Shaanxi Union.

Born in the Netherlands, Franken, a midfielder, represented the Netherlands Antilles at international level. He was also the head coach of the Aruba national football team between October 2013 and August 2015.

Club career

Born in Rotterdam, Franken played club football for Feyenoord, DOTO, Dordrecht, VVM, RKC Waalwijk, BVV Barendrecht and RVVH.{{cite web|url=http://www.ronaldzwiers.0catch.com/Spelers/F/Franken,%20Giovanni/Giovanni%20Franken.htm|title=Profile|access-date=22 September 2014|language=Dutch|publisher=Ronald Zwiers|archive-date=27 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927123259/http://www.ronaldzwiers.0catch.com/Spelers/F/Franken,%20Giovanni/Giovanni%20Franken.htm|url-status=dead}}{{NFT player|pid=4679|accessdate=22 September 2014}} He moved from DOTO, where he was captain, to BVV Barendrecht in May 2006.{{cite web|url=http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1038/Rotterdam/article/detail/2366818/2006/05/14/Gemengde-gevoelens-bij-DOTO-aanvoerder-Giovanni-Franken.dhtml|title=Gemengde gevoelens bij DOTO-aanvoerder Giovanni Franken|date=14 May 2006|access-date=22 September 2014|language=Dutch|publisher=AD.nl}} He signed for RVVH in February 2007.{{cite web|url=http://www.rvvh.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=577:nadere-kennismaking-met-giovanni-franken&catid=63:rvvh-1-verslagen&Itemid=54|title=Nadere kennismaking met Giovanni Franken|date=28 February 2007|access-date=22 September 2014|language=Dutch|publisher=RVVH}}

International career

Franken represented Netherlands Antilles at international level, earning eight caps between 2004 and 2008,{{cite web|url=http://caribbeanfootballdatabase.com/netherlandsantilles/players/giovannifranken.html|title=Profile|access-date=22 September 2014|publisher=Caribbean Football Database|archive-date=27 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927133100/http://caribbeanfootballdatabase.com/netherlandsantilles/players/giovannifranken.html|url-status=dead}} which included seven games in FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.{{FIFA player|210344}}

Coaching career

In the 2010–11 season, Franken was in charge of RVVH's women's team, while still playing for the club's first team.[https://ridderkerksdagblad.nl/sport/giovanni-franken-trainer-ado-den-haag-o18 Giovanni Franken trainer ADO Den Haag O18], ridderkerksdagblad.nl, 25 May 2020 After a season, he gained promotion to the best women league in the Netherlands.[https://www.rtvridderkerk.nl/sport/giovanni-franken-toegelaten-tot-cursus-coach-betaald-voetbal/ Giovanni Franken toegelaten tot cursus coach betaald voetbal], rtvridderkerk.nl, 7 December 2021 At the end of the 2010-11 season, he also retired as an active player.[https://www.voetbalrotterdam.nl/2011/09/giovanni-franken-krijgt-passend-afscheid/ Giovanni Franken krijgt passend afscheid], voetbalrotterdam.nl, 5 September 2011 Ahead of the 2011–12 season, he took charge of RVVH's reserve team

From 2013 to 2018, Franken was in charge of RVVH's first team. In October 2013 he was also appointed manager of the Aruba national football team,{{soccerway|giovanni-franken/240215|accessdate=22 September 2014}} combining it with his coaching position at RVVH.{{cite web|url=http://www.voetbalrotterdam.nl/index.php/giovanni-franken-wederom-naar-de-nederlandse-antillen/|title=Giovanni Franken wederom bondscoach Aruba|date=6 March 2014|access-date=22 September 2014|language=Dutch|author=Richard Feenstra|publisher=Voetbal Rotterdam}} He left this position in August 2015.{{Cite web |url=http://avbaruba.aw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=369:its-official-giovanni-franken-will-be-arubas-mnt-head-coach&catid=1:latest-news |title=AVBAruba.aw - the official site of Arubaanse Voetbal Bond |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150704031352/http://avbaruba.aw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=369:its-official-giovanni-franken-will-be-arubas-mnt-head-coach&catid=1:latest-news |archive-date=4 July 2015 |url-status=dead}}

On 4 January 2018, it was announced that Franken would take charge of Achilles Veen from the 2018–19 season.[https://www.achillesveen.nl/giovanni-franken-nieuwe-hoofdtrainer-achilles-veen/ GIOVANNI FRANKEN NIEUWE HOOFDTRAINER ACHILLES VEEN], achillesveen.nl, 4 January 2018 After seven months, Franken left the club by mutual agreement on 25 January 2019.[https://www.achillesveen.nl/achilles-veen-en-giovanni-franken-uit-elkaar/ ACHILLES VEEN EN GIOVANNI FRANKEN UIT ELKAAR], achillesveen.nl, 25 January 2019

On 20 February, Franken was appointed interim manager of FC IJsselmonde for the rest of the season.[https://www.voetbalrotterdam.nl/2019/02/giovanni-franken-maakt-seizoen-afbij-fc-ijsselmonde/ Giovanni Franken maakt seizoen af bij FC IJsselmonde], voetbalrotterdam.nl, 20 February 2019 In June 2015, Franken joined ADO Den Haag as manager for the U15 squad.[https://adodenhaag.nl/nl/nieuws/laatste-nieuws/jeugd/7838-drie-nieuwe-jeugdtrainers-penders-o19-franken-o15-en-ninaber-o12 DRIE NIEUWE JEUGDTRAINERS: PENDERS (O19), FRANKEN (O15) EN NINABER (O12)], adodenhaag.nl, 5 June 2019 In the 2020-21 season, he took charge of the U18 squad.[https://haaglandenvoetbal.nl/2020/05/23/giovanni-franken-trainer-ado-den-haag-o18/ Giovanni Franken trainer ADO Den Haag O18], haaglandenvoetbal.nl, 24 May 2020 In June 2021, it was confirmed that Franken had been promoted to the first team staff as assistant coach to ADO manager Ruud Brood.[https://www.ad.nl/regiosport-rotterdam/giovanni-franken-krijgt-eindelijk-een-kans-in-profvoetbal-ado-is-een-wilde-stier-ik-wist-dat-het-hier-kon-donderen~ac360da5/ Giovanni Franken krijgt eindelijk een kans in profvoetbal: 'ADO is een wilde stier. Ik wist dat het hier kon donderen'], ad.nl, 25 June 2021 In March 2022, he took over as caretaker manager after Brood had been dismissed, almost leading the club to promotion in the play-offs.{{cite news |last1=Abbenhuijs |first1=Marijn |title=Giovanni Franken moet het seizoen afmaken als trainer van ADO, maar mag dat ook? 'Het is hier nooit rustig' |url=https://www.ed.nl/nederlands-voetbal/giovanni-franken-moet-het-seizoen-afmaken-als-trainer-van-ado-maar-mag-dat-ook-het-is-hier-nooit-rustig~a142c194/ |access-date=28 June 2022 |work=Eindhovens Dagblad |date=4 March 2022 |language=nl}}{{cite news |title=De 'Nederlandse Simeone' van vechtploeg ADO: 'Gaan ons leven geven voor promotie' |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2430635-de-nederlandse-simeone-van-vechtploeg-ado-gaan-ons-leven-geven-voor-promotie |access-date=28 June 2022 |work=NOS |date=29 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529082416/https://nos.nl/artikel/2430635-de-nederlandse-simeone-van-vechtploeg-ado-gaan-ons-leven-geven-voor-promotie |archive-date=29 May 2022 |language=nl}} From the 2022–23 season, Franken was put in charge of ADO's under-21 team.{{cite news |last1=Feenstra |first1=Michel |title=Giovanni Franken trainer van ADO Den Haag Onder 21 {{!}} |url=https://www.voetbalrotterdam.nl/2022/06/giovanni-franken-trainer-van-ado-den-haag-onder-21/ |access-date=28 June 2022 |work=VoetbalRotterdam |date=2 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220602113806/https://www.voetbalrotterdam.nl/2022/06/giovanni-franken-trainer-van-ado-den-haag-onder-21/ |archive-date=2 June 2022 |language=nl}}

On 11 March 2025, Franken was appointed as the head coach of China League One club Shaanxi Union.[https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1826292609963432843&wfr=spider&for=pc 陕西联合官方：荷兰籍教练乔瓦尼出任俱乐部一线队新帅] at baidu.com 2025-03-11. Retrieved 2025-03-19 {{in lang|zh}}