Andries Ulderink Turns Down Cape Town City for Assistant Role Under Erik ten Hag in Germany
Dutch coach Andries Ulderink has reportedly snubbed an offer to join Cape Town City ahead of the 2025/26 season, opting instead to reunite with compatriot Erik ten Hag in Germany.
Ulderink, who was strongly linked with a permanent move to the South African Premier Division side, is now set to become one of Ten Hag’s assistant coaches at Bayer Leverkusen. The move comes shortly after Ten Hag was confirmed as the successor to Xabi Alonso, who departed Leverkusen to take over at Real Madrid.
The seasoned tactician had been seen at Cape Town City’s training sessions in recent weeks, sparking speculation about a possible return to South Africa. He previously coached Ajax Cape Town and was tipped to bring his wealth of European experience to the Citizens as they looked to bolster their technical bench.
According to British publication Daily Record, Ulderink has chosen a return to high-level European football, where he will play a supporting role in Ten Hag’s new coaching setup at the Bundesliga giants.
Ulderink’s coaching career spans across several clubs and countries. He has served as an assistant at FC Twente, Reading FC, and Rangers in Scotland. Most recently, he took the reins as interim manager at Belgian side Royal Antwerp, though his spell was short-lived, managing just 13 games with a record of two wins, four draws, and seven losses.
Cape Town City, who were awaiting the conclusion of the promotion/relegation play-offs before finalizing any coaching appointments, will now need to look elsewhere for a technical addition. Ulderink’s decision to join Leverkusen comes as a significant loss for the DStv Premiership side, who were hopeful of adding his international pedigree to their setup.
With Ten Hag set to begin a new chapter at Bayer Leverkusen, Ulderink’s arrival adds continuity to a partnership that has already flourished in European football. Meanwhile, Cape Town City will have to return to the drawing board as they prepare for what promises to be another competitive PSL season.
