Marinus Dijkhuizen (born 4 January 1972) is a Dutch professional football manager and former player who is head coach of Eerste Divisie club De Graafschap.
[1] A forward, he spent the majority of his 14-year professional career in the top two divisions of Dutch football, most notably with two spells at both Excelsior and Cambuur.
[13] Dijkhuizen signed a two-year contract with Derde Klasse Sunday club VV De Meern in January 2012.
On 1 January 2014, Dijkhuizen was announced as manager of Eerste Divisie club Excelsior on a contract running until the end of the 2013–14 season.
[16] Starting out in seventh position in the table, Dijkhuizen encouraged the club to be more attacking and pushed striker Lars Veldwijk further forward.
[17] Veldwijk's 17 goals since the Dijkhuizen's arrival helped fire the Kralingers to third-place in the table and promotion to the Eredivisie,[18] after a 4–2 aggregate victory over RKC Waalwijk in the playoffs.
[19] The club endured a difficult 2014–15 season in the top-flight, finishing one place above the relegation zone, though a new defensive style contributed to 14 draws,[17] the most in the division.
[21] Dijkhuizen had a difficult first week of the 2015–16 season and began the campaign with a crippling lack of players through injury and outgoing transfers,[23][24][25][26] which caused disharmony amongst the club's supporters.