Alex Kroes becomes Director International Football Strategy at AZ

Published on 15 november 22, 14:44

One of the main focus areas to Kroes will be the further exploitation of AZ's knowledge, expertise, and knowhow on an international scale. AZ is frequently approached by clubs, (inter)national associations, and other (football) organizations to share knowledge about its Youth Academy, development, and management. The club therefore sees ample opportunities and possibilities to further utilize this, both on and off the field.

In addition, Kroes will support the current board of directors in various sporting and organizational tasks and responsibilities. This concerns day-to-day matters, but also projects such as the expansion of the AZ training grounds in Wijdewormer and the development in and around the AFAS Stadium in Alkmaar.

About Alex Kroes
Previously in his career, Kroes was co-founder of Sports Entertainment Group (SEG). For more than seventeen years, between 2000 and 2018, he worked as Director Football. From February 2019 onwards, he was involved with Go Ahead Eagles as a director and major shareholder. Under his leadership, the club in Deventer was promoted to the Eredivisie and developed into one of the most financially sustainable clubs in the Netherlands. Kroes sold his shares in August 2022.

Kroes: “Expanding and breaking the ceiling of possibilities”
“For me, AZ is a benchmark of football clubs in the Netherlands,” Kroes begins. “The clear organizational structure, the quality of the people in it, and their philosophy of financial sustainability combined with the sporting performance may serve as an example for every club. I am very proud to be part of it. It is with great pleasure that I will contribute to further expand the success in all kinds of areas and perhaps even help to break through a supposed ceiling of possibilities.”

Eenhoorn: “Constantly in motion”
“The national and international football landscape is everchanging. As a club that is operating in this field, we require a clear vision and strategy,” says CEO Robert Eenhoorn. “Our own approach that we have chosen as a club will receive a further quality boost with the arrival of Alex. We are convinced that he will help the club to continue to grow in many ways with his knowledge, expertise, and network.”

Neelissen: “The right people are crucial”
René Neelissen, chairman of the Supervisory Board, about the appointment of Kroes: “With Alex we gain an incredibly experienced director in sports. We believe we can further open our network, both in the football and business fields, but also expand it. AZ aims to take further steps in this direction. It is crucial that we have the right people in our organization to realize this. The vision of AZ and Alex fit together perfectly. That was essential for us to enter into this partnership.”