Ron Jans has resigned after 799 matches as a professional football coach. He exchanges FC Utrecht for his pension. Despite the lost final of the play-offs against Ajax, he does so with a smile.

“It just wasn’t meant to be,” Jans said. “But if you see where we were in January and where we have now grown, we have made a lot of progress. Many compliments to players, staff, club and supporters.”

It didn’t really feel like a farewell match for Jans. He received a grand farewell from the FC Utrecht supporters after the last home game in the regular competition, against Fortuna Sittard.

“That was so beautiful that I already had a lot of emotions there,” says Jans. “It was actually processed after that.”

Former professional Jans started his career as head coach in 2002 at FC Groningen and continued working at sc Heerenveen, Standard Liège, PEC Zwolle, FC Cincinnati, FC Twente and from 2023 at FC Utrecht.

He won the KNVB Cup with PEC in 2014 and also the Johan Cruijff bowl (both at the expense of Ajax). In 2015 he lost the cup final to FC Groningen with PEC.

And now? According to Jans, his state pension has been coming in since last year. “We’re going to the Veluwe for two days. That’s just around the corner.”