Marco Ruitenbeek…Return To East End?
Author: DAFC.net Date: Thursday, 24th Jun 2004Popular former Pars keeper Marco Ruitenbeek could sensationally return to the club next season according to today’s Courier.
From today’s Courier:
Former popular Pars goalkeeper Marco Ruitenbeek could be on the verge of making a sensational return to East End Park, just three months after he left the club to go back to his native Holland to return to his Fathers printing business.
According to today’s Courier (very reliable paper for Pars info), the Pars’ new head coach Davie Hay hopes to get in touch with the big Dutchman next week if attempts to sign former Cellic and Livingston goalie Javier Sanchez Broto fail.
Frustrated at a lack of first team action, Ruitenbeek rejected the offer of a new deal and returned to Holland after making his final appearance at East End back in April.
Not even the decision by Derek Stillie, his former rival for the number one jersey, to quit after the Scottish Cup final in May was enough to persuade him to stay.
However, following last month’s shock departure of coach Jimmy Calderwood, a well-placed source at the club said that Ruitenbeek (36) would be considered.
Within minutes of taking over as manager Davie Hay made it clear finding a replacement for Stillie was one of his top priorities before the pre-season gets under way.
Shortly before he quit to join Aberdeen, Calderwood snapped up former Dundee and Partick Thistle keeper Jamie Langfield on a one-year deal.
The Pars, though, still need another experienced goalie and Ruitenbeek would almost certainly be welcomed back by the East End Park faithful with open arms. “Marco played over 90 games for us and never let us down,” the source said. “He was unlucky to lose the number one jersey to Derek Stillie when he hurt himself during the warm-up for a game against Hearts last season. “We’d certainly be interested in speaking to him.”
Ruitenbeek, who said shortly before he left Dunfermline that he hoped to keep playing for at least two more years, was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Meanwhile, Dunfermline’s executive director of football Jim Leishman held out little hope of clinching a deal with Broto. It seems the Spaniard has priced himself out of a move to the Fifers. “We’ve spoken with his agent, but he’s probably outwith our budget,” Leishman said yesterday.
Hay and his assistant Billy Kirkwood already have two or three players in their sights, but little is likely to materialise until the manager returns from holiday next Thursday.
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