Blues confirm ten Cate role
11 Oct 2007 - 17:20:24
Chelsea have confirmed the appointment of Henk ten Cate as assistant first-team coach to new manager Avram Grant.
The 52-year-old Dutchman arrived in London on Wednesday to discuss terms with the Blues after being released from his former job of head coach at Ajax.
The former assistant to Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard had been Grant's first choice to work with him following the Israeli's own appointment as Jose Mourinho's successor at Stamford Bridge.
"Chelsea Football Club can confirm that Henk ten Cate has joined as assistant first-team coach and we would like to welcome him to the club," confirmed a brief statement.
Ten Cate, who has vast experience of coaching in his homeland, will work alongside existing number two Steve Clarke in Grant's new-look backroom staff.
The Dutchman has previously been in charge at Go Ahead Eagles, SC Heracles, Sparta Rotterdam, NAC Breda and Vitesse Arnhem before leaving Barcelona last summer to replace Danny Blind as Ajax manager.
He also spent the 1999-2000 campaign coaching Hungarian side MTK Hungaria before teaming up with Rijkaard at Barcelona in 2003.