Jans still happy at Groningen

FC Groningen coach Ron Jans has signed a one-year extension to his contract on the eve of his side's UEFA Cup first-round decider against FK Partizan.

Unfinished business
Jans, who played for Groningen between 1982 and 1984, is now under contract at the club until the summer of 2007 having been in charge since replacing Dwight Lodeweges in October 2002. He is currently the second longest serving coach in the Eredivisie, behind FC Utrecht's Foeke Booy. "I really like it here and we just decide from year to year whether we want to continue with each other," said the 47-year-old. "I do not feel my job is done here yet."

Close call
Thursday's second leg against Partizan will be his 153rd game in charge of Groningen as they look to recover from a 4-2 first-leg defeat in Belgrade to progress to the group stage. Jans's men finished fifth in the Eredivisie last season to earn a UEFA Cup place and almost snatched a UEFA Champions League slot but lost against AFC Ajax in the final of the inaugural end-of-season Dutch play-offs.