Jacq Roos

BUSSUM

Former Dutch international Sonny Silooy has signed a contract to become head coach of the Dutch-American pro soccer team Dayton Dutch Lions FC. He will be officially introduced at 6.30pm on Wednesday March 3, at Bo Cinq in Amsterdam.

 
Photography by Laura Oldenbroek

Sonny Silooy is a former professional soccer player, who has played 25 games for the Dutch National Team. He played 14 years for AFC AJAX. He became Dutch Champion with AJAX seven times, and won the KNVB Cup three times; the Cup Winners’ Cup, the UEFA Cup, the prestigious Champions League, the World Cup for club teams and the European Super Cup. Silooy also played for Matra Racing Paris (France), Arminia Bielefeld (Germany) and De Graafschap (the Netherlands).

He ended his professional soccer career in 2002 and continued his career as a trainer. He was trainer of the youth team A1 juniors at AJAX for 3 years, winning a Championship and the Dutch Cup. He was coach at Young Boys in Haarlem. Last year Silooy worked for GR8 Industries as a technical and tactical consultant for young players and soccer players of the First Division and the Premier League. Now he is ready to embark in an American adventure. "A unique challenge. At Dayton Dutch Lions FC I can work to build up a new ambitious professional club. This feels like a gift from heaven," Sonny Silooy says.

Club owners Erik Tammer and Mike Mossel are extremely enthusiastic about Silooy’s arrival: "Sonny is a trainer with a great deal of experience. He has had a fantastic soccer career and has been responsible for winning many prizes. His background assures a professional coaching staff with someone in charge that players will look up to and can learn from a lot. This is why we think Sonny is the ideal coach for Dayton Dutch Lions FC." 

Photography by Laura Oldenbroek

Silooy and the Dutch soccer players will leave for the United States at the beginning of April to start their preseason for the USL Premier Development League which starts May 8.