Bas Sibum

Bas Sibum (born 26 December 1982) is a Dutch professional football manager and former player who is the head coach of club Roda JC.

Sibum began his playing career at Emmen before playing for clubs including Twente, Roda JC, NEC, Alemannia Aachen, and Waasland-Beveren. After retiring in 2016, he transitioned into coaching, starting with Emmen's youth teams. In May 2023, he was appointed head coach of Roda JC, leading them to a strong season and earning the Eerste Divisie Manager of the Season award in 2024.

Playing career
Sibum began playing football at SV Twedo in his hometown Nieuw-Amsterdam, Drenthe. He was scouted by the local professional club, Emmen, where he made his professional debut in the second-tier Eerste Divisie in the 2000–01 season. On 7 April 2001, he replaced Alami Ahannach in the 73rd minute of a 2–0 league loss to Heracles Almelo to make his professional debut. In his third and final year with the second division club, he was a regular starter, making 33 appearances and scoring five goals. At the end of the season, Emmen finished second in the table but failed to secure promotion in the play-offs.

Sibum joined Eredivisie club Twente in 2003. Sibum quickly secured a spot in the starting lineup under coach René Vandereycken, playing alongside Peter Niemeyer, Giorgi Gakhokidze, and Simon Cziommer. Over three seasons, he made 87 appearances for the Tukkers. However, under coach Fred Rutten, who preferred a midfield trio of Orlando Engelaar, Otman Bakkal, and Karim El Ahmadi, Sibum found himself relegated to a backup role. Consequently, during the winter break, both Niemeyer and Sibum left the club; Niemeyer joined Werder Bremen, while Sibum transferred to Roda JC.

In his year at Roda JC, Sibum struggled to secure a regular spot in Raymond Atteveld's team, but he did score his first ever Eredivisie goal on 10 February 2007, in a 1–0 win against NEC.

In January 2008, he signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with NEC. He quickly became a regular starter and a fan favourite. Under manager Mario Been, he demonstrated his abilities on an international stage in the UEFA Cup, playing in seven matches. However, NEC's campaign ended in the third round with 3–0 and 1–0 losses against Hamburger SV. In the 2009–10 season, a hip injury set him back, but he returned to the team during the winter break. Despite his efforts, NEC finished in the lower half of the table again in the 2010–11 season, following 11th and 13th place finishes in the previous seasons.

He played in Nijmegen for three-and-a-half seasons before departing for German club Alemannia Aachen in the summer of 2011. In his only season at the club, Aachen suffered relegation from the 2. Bundesliga. In 2012, he signed a one-year contract with Belgian club Waasland-Beveren, with an option for an additional year.

On 3 June 2014, Heracles Almelo announced that Sibum had signed a two-year contract with the club, with an option for an additional season. In his first year, he made eight league appearances, but none in the second year. After the 2015–16 season, Sibum retired from professional football. He then played for MVV Alcides in the Eerste Klasse but retired from football altogether in February 2017 due to chronic injuries.

Youth and assistant coaching
Sibum started coaching Emmen's youth in February 2017, where he was appointed coach of the under-19 team. He was since promoted to assistant coach of the first team.

Roda JC
On 9 May 2023, Eerste Divisie club Roda JC announced Sibum as their new head coach, replacing Edwin de Graaf. The move marked a return to the club, where he played between 2007 and 2008.

Under his leadership, the team experienced a significant turnaround in results, propelling them into contention for promotion. On 3 May 2024, Roda JC fans prematurely celebrated their team's promotion to the Eredivisie after a 2–0 victory over Cambuur, believing they had secured a top-two finish. However, a 95th-minute equalizer by their direct rivals, Groningen, against Telstar denied Roda's promotion, extending the race to the final matchday. The stadium announcer had mistakenly announced their promotion due to a poor internet connection, leading Roda's supporters to invade the pitch at Parkstad Limburg Stadion. The premature pitch invasion made international news. On the final matchday, Roda lost a direct matchup to Groningen, meaning they had to compete in the playoffs for promotion. In the first round of the playoffs, Roda lost 8–1 on aggregate to NAC Breda, extending their stay in the second tier. As a result of Roda's successful season, Sibum was named manager of the season in the Eerste Divisie on 15 May 2024.

Manager
Individual
 * Eerste Divisie Manager of the Season: 2023–24