Jans learns of Hake exit on internet during holiday

PEC Zwolle coach Ron Jans says he learnt of his assistant Rene Hake’s move to Twente on the internet while on holiday.

Hake, who has spent the last three seasons with Zwolle, was confirmed as the new assistant coach to Alfred Schreuder on Friday.

Jans and Hake enjoyed a fruitful partnership at Zwolle, winning the KNVB Cup in 2014 and leading the team back to the cup final and sixth in the Eredivisie last season.

But Jans revealed that he learned of Hake’s exit on holiday in Sardinia after seeing a headline that said Twente had ensured the services of “an old acquaintance” to serve as assistant.

“I wanted to see who it was, so I clicked onto the report and saw it was my own assistant Hake,” Jans told RTV Oost.

“Two days later he called again to confirm he was moving. Things change quickly and sometimes strangely in the world of football.

“But I always worked well with Rene and I’m happy for his new opportunity.”