Dit interview verscheen in Voetbal International – feb. 2021
Vanuit het Friese dorpje Goënga trok Pieter Huistra (54) de wereld over. Het voetbal bracht hem naar België, Schotland, Japan, Indonesië, Japan en Slowakije. Momenteel is de oud-international gelukkig in Oezbekistan, maar hij zou ook graag als gerijpte trainer terugkeren naar de bron. Het was een dik boek, gekregen van zijn ouders: Landen en Volkeren. Pieter Huistra en zijn drie broers konden er geen genoeg van krijgen. ‘We stampten alle feitjes uit ons hoofd en overhoorden elkaar’, weet de achtvoudig international nog. ‘Uiteindelijk kenden we elke vlag en munteenheid. De populatie van elk land zelfs.’ Kortom: de interesse voor de wereld buiten zijn geboortedorp Goënga zat er al vroeg in bij Huistra. Het voetbal stelde hem in staat de gebieden uit zijn toenmalige lievelingsboek ook echt te verkennen. Als linksbuiten wervelde hij via FC Groningen, BV Veendam en FC Twente naar Glasgow Rangers, Sanfrecce Hiroshima en Lierse SK. Als trainer begon hij pas echt aan een zwerftocht over de wereld. Nu meldt het nog altijd jongensachtige hoofd zich vanuit Tasjkent, de hoofdstad van Oezbekistan. Huistra is er al drieënhalf jaar werkzaam. In Nederland werd er weinig van vernomen. De Fries vraagt zelf niet snel om aandacht en heeft weinig lijntjes lopen naar de pers. Maar hij heeft wel degelijk wat te vertellen.
I can say that I am a typical product of the Dutch football school. I grew up with and was influenced by the people who have largely determined the football landscape in the Netherlands: Johan Cruijff, Rinus Michels, Louis van Gaal, Guus Hiddink, Wiel Coerver and Raymond Verheijen. My whole life I am busy with and interested in all topics related to football. Besides being a player and trainer, I have been active as technical director, youth and assistant trainer. Furthermore, as a board member of the CBV, I was responsible for the football technical matters for a number of years. In this capacity I was part of several sounding board groups and the technical platform of the KNVB. Continue reading →
The first football season of Iwaki FC has finished.
What a spectacular year it has been. We started with 5 players and ended up with 32. The club and the players went through a great development process and it is clear for everybody to see how much they have grown.
Starting with players fresh from high school and university we have trained harder then I have ever done before. I have to give the players credit for there hard work and determination.
All that hard work payed off as well by winning the league and the national amateur cup for provincial teams. The players have grown in strength and in football ability.
To finish it off Iwaki FC opened its own football facility this week to give real identity to the club.
I have to thank Dome corporation for their great support. Without them all of this would not have been possible.
I will look back at this season with great pleasure and am proud to have been part of the project.
But now it is time for me to move on. I am ready for new challenges and new environments to spread the passion for football.
I am happy to announce that I have joined Iwaki FC as head coach.
It is a once in a lifetime possibility to be part of such an ambitious project. Since I left Japan as a player 19 years ago it has been a dream to come back to this country to coach.
When I was approached to join the project I did not hesitate to commit. Iwaki FC is a new club supported by Dome Corp, the distributor of the Under Armour label.
It wants to establish itself as a role model club in Japan. Emphasis will be on development of young players. Iwaki FC will take international benchmark as its guide in this development.
At the moment the club has just started to recruit players for the first team and will start at amateur level in the Tohoku region.
The club has a 10 year plan to reach JLeague and build an academy at international level that delivers top level players.
I feel very fortunate to be part of this project that also gives joy to the people of Iwaki who are still in the redevelopment of their city after the tsunami disaster. It gives extra energy to build this club together for a great future.
