The American Football Federation of the Netherlands, AFBN has announced that former NFL and long-time Euro coach Fred Armstrong will take over as head coach of Team Netherlands, aka the Dutch Lions.
The last time Team Netherlands played a game was in 2019 when they lost to Team Denmark 22-19 in an IFAF European Championship qualifier.
The 59-year-old Armstrong is one of the most successful coaches in Europe over the past 30+ years with an overall record of 142-63 as a club and national team coach. He is coming off a two-year stint as head coach of the Leipzig Kings of the European League of Football.
Needless to say, he is excited:
“The excitement from the players I have visited and had extensive talks with made my decision easy. They have a chip on their shoulders to prove they can compete and win as a National Team moving forward.”
Armstrong began his European coaching career in 1991 in Stockholm with the Solna Chiefs winning a Swedish National Championship in his first year. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength tallying up five national championships in Sweden, (two with the Stockholm Mean Machines in 2018 and 2019 as offensive coordinator), has led both the Czech and Swedish national teams in successful campaigns and taken both GFL and Austrian league teams deep into the playoffs. He was awarded the European Federation of American Football Coach of The Year 1998 for his time with the Stuttgart Scorpions.
The New Jerseyite has been equally active stateside in high school, college and even in the NFL. From 2011 – 2016, Armstrong turned the Bonneville HS, Idaho, program around and took them to their first playoff appearance in over 10 years. Since 1994 he has coached at almost every level of collegiate football on all three sides of the ball, proving a diversity in approach and adaptability. In 2006 and 2015, Armstrong spent time with both the New York Giants and Jets respectively working with running backs, receivers and tight ends. He has also been involved in a number of outreach programs aimed at helping high school students combat various social issues.
Dutch Lions defensive end Ricky Tjong-a-tjoe who played at Boise State and for the San Diego Chargers:
“Coach Armstrong is the right person to take the Dutch national team to new heights. Coach will bring a refreshing energy and passion to the Dutch American Football culture and also create new opportunities for the emerging generations.”
Javier Sanchez, general manager of the Dutch National Team:
“We at AFBN are very excited for things to come. We believe signing such a decorated Head Coach in European Football should help to bring out the talents our country possesses.”