Cocu's road to success with PSV Eindhoven

Last month Phillip Cocu guided PSV Eindhoven into the UEFA Champions League knockout stage for the first time since 2006/07 – when he was part of a side coached by Guus Hiddink that reached the quarter-finals – and today the 45-year-old was rewarded with a contract extension until summer 2019. UEFA.com's Dutch correspondent Berend Scholten looks at the former Netherlands midfielder's achievements in the job so far.

Cup success
The erstwhile AZ Alkmaar, Vitesse, Barcelona and al-Jazira player, capped on 101 occasions by the Oranje, initially became PSV coach in March 2012, replacing Fred Rutten on an interim basis. He immediately led the Farmers to the Dutch Cup, overseeing a 3-0 victory against Heracles in the final a few weeks later.

"I had a certain [career] plan in mind, but this is an exceptional situation," Cocu said at the time, comparing it to when his former international team-mate Frank de Boer took over at Ajax in December 2010 and steered the Amsterdam outfit to the Eredivisie title. "The way Frank made his debut and how it went well for him at the end of the season, that's something I would sign up to immediately."

Cutting his teeth
Cocu had learned his trade and studied for the requisite coaching qualifications while working in PSV's youth setup, having retired from playing in 2008, and gained further experience alongside De Boer as an assistant to Bert van Marwijk during the Netherlands' run to the 2010 FIFA World Cup final in South Africa.

De Jong (No9) and Depay (7) inspired PSV to the title©AFP/Getty Images

Cocu returned to the youth department after his brief spell at the PSV helm, but 12 months later he was back in charge, succeeding Dick Advocaat in July 2013. A youthful team, featuring Jürgen Locadia, Memphis Depay, Jetro Willems and Georginio Wijnaldum, made a flying start to the campaign, winning their first five games in all competitions.

Dark times
Results soon tailed off, however. Eight defeats in 12 matches – the lowlight a 6-2 home loss to Vitesse – between late October and mid-December 2013 led to questions being asked of Cocu. Another coach without the PSV history of Cocu might not have survived such a downturn in form.

Cocu added Hiddink to his staff but had to step down himself until the end of the season in order to have a tumour removed from his back. "It kept me awake for nights," he said. "Everything suddenly fell away: the only thing that mattered was the surgery."

Older and wiser
After the ups and downs of his debut season, when PSV came fourth, Cocu added experience to his squad in the shape of striker Luuk de Jong and Mexico midfielder Andrés Guardado. Those signings, and the fact that Depay, Wijnaldum and Willems were a year better off, helped PSV to their 22nd Dutch title and first since 2007/08.

"Hard times make you wiser," said Cocu. "They are eye openers, both for the players and myself as coach. I would do things differently and make different choices, certainly in the difficult phases. Such experience makes you better."

European progress
While Depay and Wijnaldum left for Manchester United and Newcastle United respectively in summer 2015, PSV invested in defender Héctor Moreno, midfielders Davy Pröpper and Gastón Pereiro and forward Maxime Lestienne. A 2-1 win against Depay's new employers kick-started a UEFA Champions League group campaign in which PSV took seven points from their last three games, edging out Louis van Gaal's United for second place.

"That is what you do it for: these beautiful moments you have to cherish," reflected Cocu. "For the club this is excellent. They will earn a considerable amount of money as a result, but what's more important is that PSV's name shines in Europe again."