NAC HAND PETO REPRIEVE
NAC Breda midfielder Tamas Peto has ended speculation about his future by signing a one-year contract extension at the Eredivisie club.
The Hungarian playmaker, whose original deal was set to expire this summer, had earlier been told he was surplus to requirements at Breda and would not be offered a contract.
But it appears Peto's performances in securing Breda's Eredivisie status in the relegation play-offs earnt him a stay of execution, with a statement on the club's official website, www.nac.nl, reading: "Particularly in the play-offs Tamas has deserved this contract lengthening.
"We wish Tamas a lot of success for the coming season."
VIDMAR TELLS OF HIS HEART OP AGONY
FORMER Rangers defender Tony Vidmar will undergo a heart operation next month.
The Aussie has been forced to pull out of the World Cup after doctors discovered he had a problem. The 35-year-old ex-Middlesbrough and Cardiff star, now at Dutch club NAC Breda, needs an operation to open a blocked coronary artery.
Vidmar said: "Six months ago I was on top of the world and now my world has been turned upside down.
"But I've been very fortunate. I've had a career of 18 years, and 15 years with the national team, which has been my life.
"I'm not going to the World Cup and obviously that's a big blow.
"But I played a big part in qualifying and maybe that's what it's all about. Getting to the World Cup - that was always the goal."
NAC Breda target Adams
Tony Adams is hopeful of being appointed as the new coach of Dutch side NAC Breda this week.
Adams has previously been in charge at Wycombe but may still see his hopes of a move to Breda scuppered by a row with the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) over his qualifications.
"I was on a course in England for four-and-a-half years. I have the A licence and with that I can coach any English club and that is why I do not understand the confusion at the KNVB," Adams said.
"NAC is a nice club and I think that I can offer them a lot."
Representatives of the English FA are now speaking with the KNVB about the matter.
 NAC TABS STEWART AS NEW GM
VVV Venlo technical director Earnie Stewart will leave on July 1st to take up the same position with Eredivisie side NAC Breda another of his former playing clubs.
The announcement was made over the weekend, and the longtime US ace is excited to make the top flight move.
"Knowing that a second club wants me back says a lot about the six years I played here," Stewart shared with YA. "It's a step up, and I'm very excited."
The American’s first order of duty will be to find the Yellow Army a new general, what with manager Cees Lok getting the gate while the team were still fighting for their Eredivisie survival in the playoffs.
"We'll do everything in the technical side of NAC as a staff," explained Stewart. "We will put together a profile of the coach we need, put together a list of names and go from there."
NAC will start the new campaign with several talented players, such as slippery attackers Anouar Diba, Julian Jenner and Johan Vonlanthen.
Stewart will also enjoy a much looser purse string with the Breda side - a fact that he says could theoretically allow him to land some Yank talent of which other teams might not be aware.
"One of the things that's good is the budget here is much higher," he stated. "It would be much easier to bring in an American player."
"That's not to say we will, but if we need a certain position and a guy has a certain character, I would be able to bring him in now."
NAC will begin their eighth consecutive season in the honor division in August, but not before they take part in a July 28-30 preseason tournament hosted by Ian Joy and St. Pauli.
NAC Breda suspend coach Cees Lok
The board of NAC Breda has suspended coach Cees Lok after he fell out with senior members of his squad.
The club said in a statement on Sunday that assistant John Karelse would take over Lok's duties for the remaining matches of the season.
NAC finished 16th in the first division and must take part in relegation playoffs to stay in the top flight.
2006 UEFA CUP Tournament
The UEFA Cup is handed over to the Dutch city of Eindhoven, and in preparation for hosting this season's final, golden memories of 1978 will come flooding back.
It was on 9 May 1978 that local side PSV Eindhoven established themselves as a major force in European football as they beat SC Bastia 3-0 at the Philips stadium - the venue for this season's final - to win the UEFA Cup, following a goalless draw in the first leg in Corsica two weeks earlier.
By that time, PSV had already broken the cast-iron grip that the big clubs from the west of the Netherlands - Feyenoord and AFC Ajax - held on the Dutch title by winning the Eredivisie in 1974/75 and 1975/76, but in taking the UEFA Cup, they announced their presence to the whole continent.
With the final being contested over two legs in those days, PSV had not enjoyed an easy time in the opening fixture against Bastia. Heavy rainfall turned the first leg into a boring show. But the second leg, however, was much more one-sided, and with the elements no longer blocking their route to goal, PSV shone with Willy van de Kerkhof, Gerrie Deijkers and Willy van der Kuylen finding the target as they secured a famous victory in front of 27,000 fans.
With Feyenoord and Ajax both having won major European competitions in the early 1970s, PSV were the third Dutch club to triumph in UEFA competition, and added to their trophy cabinet by winning the European Champion Clubs' Cup in 1987/88 before reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2004/05.
The memories of that first success back in 1978 will be celebrated as 2004/05 UEFA Cup, against all the Sportsbooks odds. Winners of last year’s cup PFC CSKA Moskva hand the trophy to Eindhoven, with goal scorers Van de Kerkhof and Van der Kuylen in attendance. Sadly Deijkers died of heart failure at the age of 56 back in October 2003.
Deijkers' story was an odd one. He had played as a defender in previous seasons but coach Kees Rijvers - who will also be at the handover - decided to hand him a chance to become a striker as PSV were having attacking problems in 1977/78. He went on to score 18 league goals and six in the UEFA Cup that season.
While Deijkers will be missed at the ceremony at the Evoluon building in Eindhoven, plenty of other PSV stars of 1978 will be there to make up the numbers. Among them will be Willy's twin brother René van de Kerkhof, Jan Poortvliet, Adri van Kraay and Kees Krijgh all eager to get their hands on the trophy again
PSV push NAC Breda into relegation playoffs
Champions PSV Eindhoven won 6-2 at neighbours NAC Breda in the Dutch first division on Sunday and condemned them to the relegation play offs.
Breda needed a win to avoid the post-season matches but trailed 2-0 at halftime and could not recover. They now embark on playoffs featuring also 17th placed Willem II Tilburg and eight teams from the league below them.
PSV finished the regular season top with 84 points from 34 matches, 10 above AZ Alkmaar, who won 4-2 at Heerenveen.
Danny Koevermans and Stein Huysegems both scored twice for for Alkmaar, who will meet Groningen in the playoffs for a Champions League third qualifying round spot.
Groningen drew 1-1 with Twente Enschede to leapfrog Utrecht, who were stunned 4-1 at home by Willem II Tilburg.
Ajax fought back from a goal down after 17 minutes to beat RKC Waalwijk 4-2 with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar twice on target. Ajax finished fourth with 60 points and will play third place Feyenoord in the playoffs.
In a new departure, 12 of the 18 first division teams go into playoffs.
Second-placed down to five, already guaranteed UEFA Cup football, battle for a Champions League third qualifying round slot. Teams from 6-9 are in the race for one UEFA Cup berth and 10-13 play for an Intertoto Cup spot.
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