Ryan Koolwijk

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Ryan Koolwijk

|image = Ryan koolwijk-1490276627.jpg

|image_size =

|caption = Koolwijk with Excelsior in 2017

|fullname =

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|8|8|df=y}}

|birth_place = Rotterdam, Netherlands

|height = 1.94 m

|position = Midfielder

|currentclub = Suriname (assistant)
ADO Den Haag (U19 assistant)

|clubnumber =

|youthyears1 =

|youthclubs1 = VV Lekkerkerk[https://www.vvlekkerkerk.nl/469/nr1927/ v.v. Lekkerkerk door de jaren heen], vvlekkerkerk.nl

|youthyears2 =

|youthclubs2 = Excelsior

|years1 = 2007–2011

|clubs1 = Excelsior

|caps1 = 114

|goals1 = 10

|years2 = 2011–2014

|clubs2 = NEC

|caps2 = 86

|goals2 = 5

|years3 = 2014

|clubs3 = Dordrecht

|caps3 = 9

|goals3 = 2

|years4 = 2015–2016

|clubs4 = AS Trenčín

|caps4 = 43

|goals4 = 6

|years5 = 2016–2019

|clubs5 = Excelsior

|caps5 = 92

|goals5 = 7

|years6 = 2019–2020

|clubs6 = AS Trenčín

|caps6 = 20

|goals6 = 2

|years7 = 2020–2021

|clubs7 = Almere City

|caps7 = 38

|goals7 = 1

|years8 = 2021–2022

|clubs8 = PEC Zwolle

|caps8 = 9

|goals8 = 0

|years9 = 2022–2024

|clubs9 = Smitshoek

|caps9 =

|goals9 =

|totalcaps = 411+

|totalgoals = 33+

|nationalyears1 = 2021–2022

|nationalteam1 = Suriname{{NFT player|pid=82752|accessdate=17 July 2021}}

|nationalcaps1 = 7

|nationalgoals1 = 0

|club-update =

|ntupdate =

| manageryears1 = 2022–

| managerclubs1 = Suriname (assistant)

| manageryears2 = 2024–

| managerclubs2 = ADO Den Haag (U19 assistant)

}}

Ryan Koolwijk (born 8 August 1985) is a professional football manager and former player who is the assistant coach of the Suriname national team and the ADO Den Haag under-19 team.

During his playing career, he played for Excelsior, NEC, Dordrecht, AS Trenčín, Almere City, and PEC Zwolle. Born in the Netherlands, he represented the Suriname national team.

Club career

Born in Rotterdam, Koolwijk began his senior career with Excelsior during the 2007–08 season. He signed for NEC in May 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.rs.goal.com/nl/news/213/eredivisie/2011/05/02/2468357/ryan-koolwijk-na-dit-seizoen-naar-nec|title=Ryan Koolwijk na dit seizoen naar NEC|date=2 May 2011|author=Yorick Hokke|language=Dutch|publisher=Goal.com|access-date=26 June 2011|archive-date=17 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317113927/http://www.rs.goal.com/nl/news/213/eredivisie/2011/05/02/2468357/ryan-koolwijk-na-dit-seizoen-naar-nec|url-status=dead}} He also played for Dordrecht and AS Trenčín,{{Soccerway|ryan-koolwijk/24671|accessdate=28 May 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.vi.nl/spelers/carriere/ryan-koolwijk.htm|title=Profile|access-date=27 September 2014|language=Dutch|publisher=Voetbal International}} before returning to Excelsior in May 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.voetbalprimeur.nl/nieuws/662594/mooie-transfer-voor-excelsior-we-zijn-rond-hij-tekent-voor-drie-jaar-.html|title=Excelsior troeft twee Eredivisie-clubs af en heeft beet bij clubjongen|website=www.voetbalprimeur.nl}} He returned to Trenčín in June 2019 and became a regular in the team's starting eleven.{{cite web|url=https://www.voetbalrotterdam.nl/2019/06/ryan-koolwijk-tekent-bij-as-trencin/|title=Ryan Koolwijk tekent bij AS Trencin -|first=Redactie|last=VoetbalRotterdam|date=26 June 2019|publisher=}} In April 2020, when the Fortuna Liga was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, Koolwijk ended his contract with the club by mutual agreement, as he intended to spend more time with his family in the Netherlands and he was dissatisfied by the proposed salary cut of over 50%, due to the pandemic.{{Cite web|title=Zachráňte futbalistu Ryana. Koolwijk sa dohodol na predčasnom ukončení zmluvy s Trenčínom|url=https://sport.aktuality.sk/c/443850/zachrante-futbalistu-ryana-koolwijk-sa-dohodol-na-predcasnom-ukonceni-zmluvy-s-trencinom/|last=s|first=SPORT SK, s r o & Ringier Axel Springer Slovakia a|website=Šport.sk|language=sk|access-date=12 May 2020}} He signed with Almere City in May 2020.{{cite web |title=Almere City FC lijft ervaren Ryan Koolwijk in |url=https://almerecity.nl/almere-city-1/almere-city-fc-lijft-ervaren-ryan-koolwijk-in/ |publisher=Almere City FC |access-date=8 September 2020 |language=Dutch |date=20 May 2020}}

He signed for PEC Zwolle in September 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtvoost.nl/nieuws/2007014/Koolwijk-en-Fernandes-tekenen-bij-PEC-De-spoeling-werd-erg-dun|title=Koolwijk en Fernandes tekenen bij PEC: "De spoeling werd erg dun"|website=RTV Oost}} After a season, which ended with relegation to the 2022–23 Eerste Divisie, 36-year old Koolwijk announced his retirement from professional football, as he had accepted a job offer as assistant coach of the Suriname national team.[https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/1499694/ryan-koolwijk-stopt-met-voetballen-en-vindt-nieuwe-uitdaging-deze-kans-moet-ik-grijpen Ryan Koolwijk stopt met voetballen en vindt nieuwe uitdaging: 'Deze kans moet ik grijpen'], rijnmond.nl, 12 May 2022

At age 36, Koolwijk opted to continue playing and joined Smitshoek in the Vierde Divisie ahead of the 2022–23 season, encouraged by friend Luigi Bruins, who highlighted the club's positive environment.{{cite web |title=Ryan Koolwijk volgt voetbalvriend naar Smitshoek |url=https://www.vvsmitshoek.nl/ryan-koolwijk-volgt-voetbalvriend-naar-smitshoek |website=VV Smitshoek |access-date=10 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231001210059/https://www.vvsmitshoek.nl/ryan-koolwijk-volgt-voetbalvriend-naar-smitshoek |archive-date=1 October 2023 |language=nl |date=4 July 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Maten |first1=Jeffrey van der |title=Koolwijk maakt overstap naar amateurs: 'Derde helft? Kan niveau van nieuwe ploeggenoten niet bijbenen' |url=https://www.ad.nl/regiosport-rotterdam/koolwijk-maakt-overstap-naar-amateurs-derde-helft-kan-niveau-van-nieuwe-ploeggenoten-niet-bijbenen~ad7d1f67/ |access-date=10 November 2024 |work=Algemeen Dagblad |date=29 August 2022 |language=nl}} Koolwijk spent two seasons at Smitshoek before retiring from playing in June 2024 to focus on his coaching career.{{cite news |last1=Oevelen |first1=Wesley van |title=Met de veertig in zicht gaat Koolwijk zich op het trainersvak richten: 'Had nog jaren kunnen doorgaan' |url=https://www.ad.nl/nederlands-voetbal/met-de-veertig-in-zicht-gaat-koolwijk-zich-op-het-trainersvak-richten-had-nog-jaren-kunnen-doorgaan~a37f1e89/ |access-date=10 November 2024 |work=Algemeen Dagblad |date=23 June 2024 |language=nl}}{{cite news |last1=Beije |first1=Ton |title=Ryan Koolwijk komend seizoen assistent-trainer bij ADO Den Haag O19 |url=https://haaglandenvoetbal.nl/nieuws/109693/ryan-koolwijk-komend-seizoen-assistent-trainer-bij-ado-den-haag-o18/ |access-date=10 November 2024 |work=Haaglanden Voetbal |date=24 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717130820/https://haaglandenvoetbal.nl/nieuws/109693/ryan-koolwijk-komend-seizoen-assistent-trainer-bij-ado-den-haag-o18/ |archive-date=17 July 2024 |language=nl-NL}}

International career

Born in the Netherlands, Koolwijk is of Surinamese descent.{{cite web|url=http://www.natiosuriname.com/2010/12/ryan-koolwijk-kijkt-uit-naar-trip-naar.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213111501/http://www.natiosuriname.com/2010/12/ryan-koolwijk-kijkt-uit-naar-trip-naar.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=13 December 2014|title=Ryan Koolwijk kijkt uit naar trip naar Suriname|first=Gepost door Rajesh|last=Gayadien|publisher=}} He debuted with the Suriname national team in a 6–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification win over Bermuda on 4 June 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/matches/match/400136219/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603041124/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/matches/match/400136219/|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 June 2021|title=FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Qualifiers - North, Central America and Caribbean - Matches - Suriname - Bermuda |website=www.fifa.com}} On 25 June Koolwijk was named to the Suriname squad for the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup.{{cite tweet|author=Surinamese Football Federation|user=OfficialSVB1920|number=1408477656702664710|title=The 23 That Will Represent Us At The CONCACAF Gold Cup|date=25 June 2021|access-date=12 July 2021}}

Coaching career

Koolwijk retired as a professional player in 2022, and became an assistant coach of the Suriname national team.

He continued to play in the lower leagues, and after retiring from playing in 2024, Koolwijk was appointed assistant coach of ADO Den Haag's under-19s.

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|National Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="5"\|Excelsior \|2007–08 \|Eredivisie \|7	0	0	0	0	0	7	0
2008–09 \|rowspan="2"\|Eerste Divisie \|37	3	1	0	2Appearances in the Eerste Divisie promotion play-offs	0	40	3
2009–10 \|37	6	1	0	4	0	42	6
2010–11 \|Eredivisie \|33	1	2	0	4Appearances in the Eredivisie relegation play-offs	2	39	3
colspan="2"\|Total !114	10	4	0	10	2	128	12
rowspan="4"\|N.E.C. \|2011–12 \|rowspan="3"\|Eredivisie \|35	0	4	0	0	0	39	0
2012–13 \|31	4	1	0	0	0	32	4
2013–14 \|22	1	4	0	2	1	28	2
colspan="2"\|Total !88	5	9	0	2	1	99	6
Dordrecht \|2014–15 \|Eredivisie \|9	2	2	1	0	0	11	3
rowspan="3"\|Trenčín \|2014–15 \|rowspan="2"\|Slovak First Football League \|13	1	3	1	0	0	16	2
2015–16 \|30	5	6	3	2Appearances in the Europa League	0	38	8
colspan="2"\|Total !43	6	9	4	2	0	54	10
rowspan="3"\|Excelsior \|2016–17 \|rowspan="2"\|Eredivisie \|32	2	2	0	0	0	34	2
2017–18 \|0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
colspan="2"\|Total !32	2	2	0	0	0	34	2
colspan="3"\|Career total !286	25	26	5	14	3	326	33