Ex-Barça: Neeskens to Holland B

The Dutch football association has officially announced on Friday that former Barcelona player and assistant coach Johan Neeskens (57) has been appointed as head coach of a new national B team.

"The Netherlands B" is a temporary project until the end of the season. The B-team will consist of players who are too old for the under-21 team but not yet ready for the senior team. Neeskens will be assisted by former Dutch international Dennis Bergkamp.

Arriving from Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam in 1974, Johan Neeskens played five season for Barcelona. In 1979, the popular Dutch international left for New York Kosmos.

After the 2006 World Cup, Neeskens quitted as assistant coach of the Australian national team and returned to Barcelona to become the first assistant coach of Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard. He left the club last summer.

With Barcelona, Neeskens won (as a player) one Spanish cup in 1978, one European Cup Winners' Cup in 1979 and (as assistant coach) one Spanish super cup in 2006.

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