Maikel Aerts (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈmɑi̯kəl ˈaːrts]; born 26 June 1976) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. After his career, he became goalkeeping coach.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 26 June 1976 | ||
| Place of birth | Eindhoven, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Wilhelmina Boys | |||
| 1988–1994 | PSV | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994–2001 | Den Bosch | 107 | (0) |
| 2001–2002 | Germinal Beerschot | 9 | (0) |
| 2002–2004 | RBC Roosendaal | 51 | (0) |
| 2004–2007 | Feyenoord | 8 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | → RBC Roosendaal (loan) | 21 | (0) |
| 2007 | → Willem II | 7 | (0) |
| 2007–2010 | Willem II | 81 | (0) |
| 2010–2012 | Hertha BSC | 24 | (0) |
| Total | 308 | (0) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2017–2021 | Eindhoven (goalkeeping coach) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career edit
Aerts started his career at FC Den Bosch. In his third season at Den Bosch, where he was the backup goalkeeper, he was suspended for 12 months by the KNVB after testing positive for cocaine – the first player to face a ban for substance abuse in the Dutch competitions.[2] He ended up making 107 appearances for the club (1994–2001). A subsequent transfer to English club Wolverhampton Wanderers failed to go through due to Aerts refusing to take a drug test.[3] Instead, he moved to Belgian side Germinal Beerschot in 2001, where he only made nine appearances due to an injury.[4] During this period, Aerts' friend was murdered and his fiancé suffered a whiplash after a car accident.[5]
After a horrible year professionally and personally, he returned to the Netherlands, signing with RBC Roosendaal in 2002. There, he established himself as one of the better goalkeepers in the Eredivisie despite suffering a shoulder injury, which kept him sidelined for six months.[5] As a result of his strong displays, Feyenoord signed him on 4 July 2004,[6][7] who loaned directly back to RBC for another season[8] before joining Feyenoord's first team set-up.
After some serious mistakes during the 2005–06 season, including a direct pass to opposing FC Twente striker Blaise Nkufo, Aerts benched by head coach Erwin Koeman and in July 2006 he was demoted to the club's reserve team.[4] After being transfer listed by Feyenoord and having trialled at Vitesse and English club West Bromwich Albion,[4] Aerts eventually decided to sign a two-year contract with Willem II on 18 June 2007; a club he had been loaned out to the six months before.[9] He had made his first appearance on loan for Willem II on 3 February 2007, an Eredivisie match against Heracles Almelo.[10]
On 3 June 2010, at age 36, Aerts left the Netherlands and signed a two-year contract with German 2. Bundesliga club Hertha BSC.[11][12] After two seasons he was released. He made 24 league appearances for the Berlin-based club and was a part of the team reaching promotion to the Bundesliga in the 2010–11 season.[4] He retired after leaving Hertha BSC.
Coaching career edit
On 6 July 2017, he was hired as a goalkeeper coach at FC Eindhoven.[13] He left the position in 2021.[14]
Personal life edit
Aerts is the nephew of three time K-1 World Grand Prix Champion Peter Aerts.
References edit
- ^ "M. Aerts: Profiel". Voetbal International. PXR. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
- ^ "Zware schorsing Aerts wegens cocaïnegebruik valt licht uit". Trouw.nl (in Dutch). Trouw. 31 October 1997. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "Den Bosch laat Maikel Aerts vallen". VI.nl. Voetbal International. 21 July 2001. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ a b c d Teunisse, Maarten (12 October 2016). "Lachen, huilen en snuiven: de onfortuinlijke carrière van Maikel Aerts". VICE.com. VICE. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ a b "Maikel Aerts ontstijgt RBC Roosendaal". VI.nl. Voetbal International. 11 February 2004. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "Aerts moves to Feyenoord". UEFA.com. UEFA. 5 July 2004. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "Maikel Aerts tekent contract". Feyenoord.nl. Feyenoord. 7 July 2004. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ RBC huurt Maikel Aerts van Feyenoord - Omroep Brabant (in Dutch)
- ^ "Doelman Aerts definitief naar Willem II". Trouw.nl. Trouw. 18 June 2007. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "Tactical Formation". Football-Lineups.com. Retrieved 7 February 2007.
- ^ "Hertha verpflichtet Maikel Aaerts" (in German). Hertha BSC. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
- ^ "Hertha BSC verpflichtet Maikel Aerts als Drobny-Nachfolger" (in German). sportmedien.eu. 3 June 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
- ^ Hoffman, Bart (6 July 2017). "Maikel Aerts nieuwe keeperstrainer FC Eindhoven". Eindhovens Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 1 October 2023.
- ^ "Onrust bij FC Eindhoven; trainer Brandts niet voor de groep". ESPN (in Dutch). 12 April 2021. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2023.