Queen's Park: Marijn Beuker leaves AZ Alkmaar for sporting director role

Marijn Beuker led player and coaching development at AZ Alkmaar, who lost to Celtic in this season's Europa League play-off round

Marijn Beuker says he is "ready to put a new dent in the universe" with Queen's Park after leaving AZ Alkmaar to become the ambitious Scottish League 1 club's first sporting director.

The Dutchman, 37, spent the last 15 years as sport development director at the Eredivisie side.

Queen's say Beuker's arrival underlines their drive to become Scotland's leading club for talent development.

Almost 50% of AZ's playing time in the last six years was homegrown talent.

Beuker is described as "a long-term, innovative thinker and disrupter" by his new employers, with his arrival "a real coup".

"I am very proud to be able to take this new step in my career at one of the oldest clubs in the world," he said.

"The ambition of the club to create sustainable success and the well-thought-out plan to make an impact in modern football in the coming years appeals to me enormously.

"I will respect the legacy of the club, but I am also ready to put a new dent in the universe."

Queen's Park, Scotland's oldest club, ended their amateur status by turning professional in late 2019 and won promotion as League 2 champions last season.

Chief executive Leeann Dempster, who joined in January after leaving top-flight Hibernian, welcomed the "truly exciting appointment" of Beuker.

"Everyone at the club looks forward to working with, and learning from, one of Europe's most influential developers of young talent," said Dempster.