Martens and trio of assistants to remain with AZ Alkmaar for another three seasons | OneFootball

AZ Alkmaar are confident about the future with Maarten Martens at the helm. The Belgian head coach’s contract has been extended by two years until mid-2028, with assistants Kenneth Goudmijn, Jan Sierksma and Robert Franssen also signed.

“It’s great that we can continue the work we’ve been doing with this staff,” Martens responded in a press release.

“We want to continue the way we’re doing it, and we still see a lot of room for growth and opportunities. We want to do that largely with the group of players that is already there. That’s why we have a lot of confidence in the future, because the longer you work together – and that also applies to the staff members – the better you can expand on the path you’ve taken.”

“We do need to become more stable on all fronts”, Martens pointed out. “The Eredivisie is an important focal point, in which we have proven to be too inconsistent this season. Particularly in the phase in which we also played challenging European matches. We need to improve that combination. You always want to perform. In the cup, we did that very well for the most part. Ultimately, you want to win that prize, and we were so close to that.”

The 40-year-old Martens has been the manager at AZ since 17 January 2024. At the time, he moved up as assistant after Pascal Jansen was dismissed. Martens previously also managed Jong AZ and worked with the youth of Club Brugge.

Martens finished fourth in the Eredivisie with AZ last season. This year, the North Hollanders are heading for a place in the European play-offs. The KNVB cup final, of course, was lost to Go Ahead Eagles on penalties.

GBeNeFN | Max Bradfield