Israel exodus spells Schoenmaker chance

New coach
Israel's assistant, Lex Schoenmaker, has been named the club's new coach, although Israel will stay on at Den Haag until 1 December before starting his new job at Emirates side Al Wahda.

Long-standing assistant
Schoenmaker has held the first-team reins at Den Haag before, having acted as caretaker coach for several months last season while Israel recovered from a heart bypass operation. Schoenmaker, 56, was previously assistant to Israel at Feyenoord - a club he served with distinction as a player in the 1970s - and Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia and Al Jazira in the UAE.

Promotion last season
Den Haag's general manager, Robert Langenbach, said: "Rinus told us he wanted to grab this new challenge, and I think it would not be right to ask someone to stay if his heart says he has to accept the other offer." Israel, 61, has been at Den Haag since 2001 and last season guided the club to promotion to the Eredivisie.