Feyenoord have added Thomas Carpels to the first-team Medical & Performance staff. With the appointment of the 35-year-old performance coach, who comes over from Royal Antwerp FC, the coaching staff of Feyenoord 1 is once again complete.
A vacancy had arisen within the Medical & Performance staff following the departure of Ruben Peeters to Liverpool. Carpels will take up that role, joining the team led by Head of Medical & Performance Stijn Vandenbroucke.
In recent years, Carpels worked as a physical trainer at Royal Antwerp FC, the club where he was also previously active as a professional footballer. After his active career, he completed his training as a movement scientist at KU Leuven, and further specialised in the field of football and exercise science with several masters. In recent years, Carpels worked at various football clubs in and outside Europe, including Royal Antwerp FC, Rangers FC and Orange County SC.
Last summer, Jonas Heirbaut (pictured left) and Jan Müller already made the move from Feyenoord Academy to the first team. Heirbaut will from now on take over the role from Leigh Egger, who recently returned to his homeland to work at the National Football Association of Australia. Movement specialist Müller complements the performance team, bringing his expertise to contribute to the players’ optimal physical development and performance.