Rob Alflen

{{short description|Dutch football manager and former player|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox football biography

| image =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|5|7|df=y}}

| birth_place = Utrecht, Netherlands

| height = 1.80 m

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1985–1991

| clubs1 = Utrecht

| caps1 = 142

| goals1 = 16

| years2 = 1991–1995

| clubs2 = Ajax

| caps2 = 26

| goals2 = 5

| years3 = 1995–1996

| clubs3 = Vitesse

| caps3 = 7

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1996–1997

| clubs4 = Sparta Rotterdam

| caps4 = 25

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 1997–1999

| clubs5 = Heracles

| caps5 = 52

| goals5 = 10

| years6 = 1999–2000

| clubs6 = Cambuur

| caps6 = 26

| goals6 = 0

| totalcaps = 278

| totalgoals = 32

| manageryears1 = 2006–2008

| managerclubs1 = FC De Bilt

| manageryears2 = 2007–2008

| managerclubs2 = HFC Haarlem (assistant)

| manageryears3 = 2008–2010

| managerclubs3 = FC Breukelen

| manageryears4 = 2009–2011

| managerclubs4 = Jong FC Utrecht

| manageryears5 = 2014–2015

| managerclubs5 = Utrecht

| manageryears6 = 2018–2019

| managerclubs6 = Helmond Sport

}}

Rob Alflen (born 7 May 1968) is a Dutch football manager and former player who is the assistant manager of Dutch Eredivisie club SC Cambuur.

Playing career

=Club=

Alflen was born in Utrecht. He played for FC Utrecht, Ajax Amsterdam, Vitesse Arnhem, Sparta Rotterdam, and Cambuur Leeuwarden in the Eredivisie.{{cite web |publisher=Voetbal International |title=Rob Alflen |url=http://www.vi.nl/Spelers/Speler/Rob-Alflen.htm |language=Dutch |accessdate=15 February 2010}}

Managerial career

Since 2004, Alflen has been co-presenter of the TV program Namen & Rugnummer on RTV Utrecht. Alflen started his coaching career as a youth coach of FC De Bilt, and later became manager of the first team for the 2006–07 season.[https://www.elfvoetbal.nl/nieuws/467667_de-bijzondere-carriere-van-nieuwe-nec-trainer-robbie-alflen De bijzondere carrière van nieuwe NEC-trainer Robbie Alflen], elfvoetbal.nl, 27 May 2017 In the following season, he became assistant manager of HFC Haarlem but still remained as manager of De Bilt.[https://www.voetbalprimeur.nl/nieuws/87673/alfen-wordt-assistent-trainer-bij-haarlem Alfen wordt assistent-trainer bij Haarlem], voetbalprimeur.nl, 27 May 2007 From 2008 until 2010, he was manager of FC Breukelen.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}} In February 2009, he also took a job at Jong FC Utrecht as manager of the team alongside his manager job at Breukelen.

When Erwin Koeman quit as head coach of FC Utrecht in October 2011, Alflen was assigned as assistant coach of Jan Wouters for the first team of FC Utrecht. He became head coach after Wouters left the club in June 2014. On 25 March 2015 FC Utrecht said that coach Alflen and his advisor Co Adriaanse would step down from their roles with the Dutch club at the end of the season.{{cite tweet|user=BeNeFoot|author=BeNeFoot|number=580714735601057793|date=25 March 2015|title=FC Utrecht have confirmed that coach Rob Alflen and technical director Co Adriaanse will leave the club this summer.}} On 11 January 2016 he became an assistant at Heracles after Hendrie Krüzen left the club.{{cite web|url=https://www.vi.nl/nieuws/heracles-vindt-in-alflen-opvolger-vertrokken-kruzen#|title=Heracles vindt in Alflen opvolger vertrokken Krüzen|publisher=Voetbal International|language=Dutch|date=11 January 2016|access-date=30 June 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.heracles.nl/nieuws/nieuwsbericht/9980/rob-alflen-nieuwe-assistent-trainer-heracles-almelo|title=Rob Alflen nieuwe assistent-trainer Heracles Almelo|publisher=Heracles Almelo|language=Dutch|date=11 January 2016|access-date=30 June 2018}} On 16 April 2018, it was announced that Alflen would take over as the head coach of Helmond Sport on a two-year contract starting next season.{{cite web|url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2227653-helmond-sport-strikt-alflen-als-nieuwe-trainer.html|title=Helmond Sport strikt Alflen als nieuwe trainer|publisher=NOS|language=Dutch|date=16 April 2018|access-date=30 June 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.helmondsport.nl/nieuws/robby-alflen-komend-seizoen-hoofdtrainer-van-helmond-sport|title=Robby Alflen komend seizoen hoofdtrainer van Helmond Sport|publisher=Helmond Sport|language=Dutch|date=16 April 2018|access-date=30 June 2018}} On 8 May 2019, Helmond announced, that they had sacked Alflen after a disappointing season, the worst season in the club's history with only four victories in 38 games.[https://www.omroepbrabant.nl/nieuws/2995046/Helmond-Sport-zet-Rob-Alflen-op-non-actief-na-slechtste-seizoen-uit-de-clubhistorie Helmond Sport zet Rob Alflen op non-actief na slechtste seizoen uit de clubhistorie], omroepbrabant.nl, 8 May 2019

Personal life

Alflen's father was the Dutch wrestling champion Loek Alflen.{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.dehalter.com/news/article/125 |title=Loek Alflen, de grote kleine man |language=Dutch |publisher=De Halter |date=28 January 2011 |accessdate=23 August 2015}}

Career statistics

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{cite web \|title=Rob Alflen » Club matches \|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/rob-alflen/2/ \|website=worldfootball.net \|accessdate=11 April 2020}}
rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League
Division\|\|Apps\|\|Goals
rowspan="7"\|Utrecht \|1985–86 \|Eredivisie \|7	0
1986–87 \|Eredivisie \|18	3
1987–88 \|Eredivisie \|28	2
1988–89 \|Eredivisie \|31	4
1989–90 \|Eredivisie \|25	0
1990–91 \|Eredivisie \|33	7
colspan="2"\|Total !142\|\|16
rowspan="5"\|Ajax \|1991–92 \|Eredivisie \|8	3
1992–93 \|Eredivisie \|14	1
1993–94 \|Eredivisie \|4	1
1994–95 \|Eredivisie \|0	0
colspan="2"\|Total !26\|\|5
Vitesse \|1995–96 \|Eredivisie \|7	0
Sparta Rotterdam \|1996–97 \|Eredivisie \|25	1
rowspan="3"\|SC Heracles / Heracles Almelo{{efn\|Name changed in 1998}} \|1997–98 \|Eerste Divisie \|25	2
1998–99 \|Eerste Divisie \|27	8
colspan="2"\|Total !52\|\|10
Cambuur Leeuwarden \|1999–2000 \|Eredivisie \|26	0
colspan="3"\|Career total !278\|\|32

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{cite web |title=Rob Alflen » Club matches |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/rob-alflen/2/ |website=worldfootball.net |accessdate=11 April 2020}}

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

Division||Apps||Goals

rowspan="7"|Utrecht

|1985–86

|Eredivisie

1986–87

|Eredivisie

|18

1987–88

|Eredivisie