Illustrious Dutchman Marc Lammers quits as Belgium men's hockey team coach

Belgium’s men’s hockey coach Marc Lammers has stepped down citing intense schedule leaving nothing for him on the personal front. The 45-year-old former Dutch international, who took charge of the Red Lions in 2012 after Colin Batch called it quits to become the New Zealand men’s hockey team coach, is succeeded by former another former Dutch international Jeroen Delmee, who played 401 times for the Netherlands, and until now had served as the team’s assistant coach.

Lammers guided Belgium to a fifth place finish at the 2012 London Olympics and his team’s consistent wins over top teams in recent months had catapulted them to number five in FIH world rankings.

Lammers had coached the Spanish and Netherlands women teams. He guided the Dutch girls to glory in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a silver medal finish in the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Delmée’s first big assignment will be the 2014 Champions Trophy which will be played in Bhubaneshwar, India this December. 

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