Schrijver returns to FC Edmonton’s coaching staff

FC Edmonton’s former Dutch assistant coach is the team’s new Dutch assistant coach. The NASL side announced Schrijver’s hiring Thursday afternoon.

Schrijver replaces Edwin Petersen, who returned to the Netherlands to work in that country’s national federation. Schrijver will act as one of the assistants — along with Dave Randall — to coach Harry Sinkgraven.

“I am very happy and honoured to come back to FC Edmonton,” Schrijver was quoted n a release issued by the club. “Working with most of the same people and players is going to be great.”

Schrijver was assistant to Dwight Lodeweges in 2010, when FC Edmonton played a series of friendlies ahead of the club’s 2011 debut in second-division pro soccer. But, after that 2010 season was done, both Lodeweges and Schrijver exercised escape clauses in their contracts after they were offered lucrative deals to try and shepherd JEF United from Japan’s second division back to the J-League.

Both were fired a couple of weeks back, as JEF United slid out of the promotion places. It was clear that their hiring had a get-promoted-or-else clause.

Ironically, Lodeweges and Schrijver helped recruit Sinkgraven to be the new coach in Edmonton. Now, Schrijver will work under Sinkgraven.

Schrijver could also be reunited with attacking midfielder/forward Matt Lam. The young Edmonton prospect came with the two coaches from Alberta to Japan. But he hasn’t even dressed for the new coach. His loan expires on Dec. 31 — and if JEF United doesn’t use its option to buy Lam, he’ll be returned to FCE.

“We are excited both ways,” said FCE Director of Soccer Operations Joe Petrone. “We are excited if he stays in Japan and gets the opportunity there. And we would be very excited to have him back. He is a heck of a player.”