3/1 To Win
Twan Scheepers is well accustomed to the workings of Derby County's new manager Phillip Cocu following their time together in Holland.
After 14 years in the PSV Eindhoven youth set up, Scheepers called time on his association with the Dutch giants shortly after penning a new four-year contract.
But he wasn’t going to leave for just any club. He received the call from Cocu and within a matter of seconds he made his mind up to up sticks and move his whole life to England.
A strong commitment but it was the lure of the challenge which excited the Dutchman after he joined Cocu's backroom team at Derby.
“I feel at home and I feel welcome already,” he told RamsTV. “It was a couple of crazy days because we went to Sarasota for a training camp as soon as we joined.
“After 14 years of Academy football at PSV Eindhoven, and the last six years I was involved as an assistant coach in the Under-23s, suddenly the manager called me to come and join him in the staff for Derby County.
“It took me about five seconds to say yes. I know the manager already because we worked together in the Under-23s and first team at PSV and we know each other well.
“I have known Chris van der Weerden and the manager for a long time so it didn’t take long to decide to come to Derby County. I’m very happy and excited to be here.
“It came out of nowhere because I signed for four years in May with PSV. I was there for one day of my contract and then Phillip called. It was a nice one day; that’s football!
“You have to deal with it and make choices in life. I am a man from Eindhoven, I played there when I was young and for 14 years I was a coach to develop the kids and Under-23, but now is the time to do something else and it’s a challenge for me and all the staff to have a great period at Derby."
Scheepers’ job title at the club is Specialist First Team Coach, but what does that involve?
“That is my primary role and task, but I am like an individual coach,” he said.
“You never know what the manager wants from his staff, what kind of coach or training, and he thought the time is right to pick me to join him at Derby.
“That’s the position of the manager who decided what’s best for his staff and to make the best of it at Derby County. He said ‘yes Twan, let’s go and do it’.
“I like to perform and train with strikers, individual contact with the guys to develop them as an individual but when you develop individually, you will develop as well in teamwork.
“I like to learn about the players as a person also. In any way, I want to develop every player to get better both as a player and a team player.”
Scheepers is no stranger to Derby County having played against the club’s Under-23s last season whilst at PSV.
“I was here with the Under-23s in the Premier League International Cup,” Scheepers commented.
“The day after the game, we trained at the training complex and I was surprised at how great and professional it was, how many pitches and how everything was arranged.
“I was curious about the English way of professionalism, now I can see it from the start and it’s great to be here. It’s very professional and nice.”
The 47-year-old was thrust straight into the action as he flew out to Florida to join the club at their pre-season training camp alongside the rest of the coaching staff.
He spent 10-days observing and getting the manager's key messages over to the players and he is excited about the potential of the Rams' squad.
“There is great potential,” he admitted. “I like working with them because they are eager to work and work hard.
“I have had some conversations with players and conversations one-on-one with staff to get the player better and know him better. I am thrilled to work with these guys.
“So far, they like training with us, how we train and how we want to make something happen. I think they quite like it.”
