AS Saint-Etienne announced Monday the death at the age of 97 of Dutchman Kees Rijvers, French champion in 1957 and winner of the Coupe de France in 1962 in the green jersey, who was also coach of PSV Eindhoven and coach of the Netherlands.
Attacking midfielder nicknamed “Trottinette” or “Three Apples” because of his modest height (1.64 m), Kees Rijvers, born Cornelius Bernardus Rijvers, wore the colors of ASSE during three distinct periods (1951-1953, 1955-1957 and 1960-1962). He also played in France for Stade français (1953-1955). He was notably the first player to use screwed crampons in the French championship. In the Netherlands he played for NAC Breda (1944-1950, 1962-1963) and Feyenoord Rotterdam (1957-1960).
After his playing career, he became a coach, learning at Twente (1966-1972) before taking charge of PSV Eindhoven, which he managed from 1972 to December 1979 (then a few months in 1984), winning three Dutch league titles and a UEFA Cup. Irony of history, his PSV was eliminated three times by Saint-Etienne in the European Cup (in the semi-final of the European Cup of Champion Clubs in the spring of 1976, in the round of 16 of the following edition in the fall of 1976, then at the end of 1979 in the round of 16 of the UEFA Cup, with a scathing 6-0 conceded in the Cauldron with a double from Michel Platini and a goal from the Dutchman Johnny Rep). Rijvers, who was then coach of the Netherlands from March 1981 to 1984, was the dean of the Old Greens.