With his career in Australia limited by injury, Drinnen played a number of seasons as a professional for Forfarshire in the Scottish National Cricket League (SNCL), and later coached the team. In December 2003, he was appointed technical director of the Scottish Cricket Union (SCU), the governing body of the sport in Scotland. Drinnen served in this position until January 2006, when he succeeded Andy Moles as coach of the Scottish national side. He coached Scotland at the 2007 World Cup, with the team winless at the tournament. Drinnen resigned from the role in July 2007, having supposedly been unpopular among some members of the squad. He returned to his previous role as technical director, while Andy Tennant and Peter Steindl took over the squad on an interim basis, with Steindl taking on the position permanently from December 2007. Drinnen was named coach of the Netherlands in January 2008, replacing previous senior coach Peter Cantrell and taking over from acting coach Paul-Jan Bakker. He remained in the position until his resignation in October 2013, having coached the side at the 2009 and 2012 World Twenty20s, and the 2011 World Cup.