Feyenoord players complain with management…

By: Jan | December 9th, 2008

Verbeek arrives at De Kuip for crisis-talks…

United they stood. Not so much on the pitch, but at the boardroom table of Feyenoord’s management in De Kuip. This can’t go on like this, the players unanimously claimed!

General manager Eric Gudde told the press: we are 100% behind Verbeek, while at the same time the whole group was huddled together in another meeting room to formulate their joint position in the case and what they want changed.

After that meeting, captain Gio van Bronckhorst and sub-skippers Makaay and Hofland spoke with technical director Peter Bosz about their dissatisfaction. Shortly before that meeting, the players briefed coach Verbeek on their grievances.

Among the rthings the players want changed is “communication”. The relationships in the group have deteriorated so much that the necessary trusts lacks to come to optimal results. The grievances about Verbeek’s training methods are closely related. Most players don’t like the way Verbeek works, which results more in injuries than in points.

Feyenoord is at the eleventh spot in the eredivisie, with matches versus table leader AZ and ruling champ PSV in the weeks to come. The chance that Feyenoord will end the season’s first half at the 15th spot are very realistic. And that in Feyenoord’s centennial year!

Kevin Hofland didn’t want to talk to the press about the meetings. “We keep the dirty linen inside, but we are clear what we want as a group. We have had a very open meeting. We all realize that we are to blame. The players fail. We know that. We know what our responsibilities are, and that’s why we asked for this meeting.”

When asked whether Hofland wants Verbeek to stay, the defender refused to comment. “I play for Feyenoord and not for a coach. Whether it’s Verbeek or someone else. In two days, months or years you can have another coach. That’s how it works. As player, you need to play and give your 100%, who ever is the coach.”

Gertjan Verbeek said he was pleased that there was an open discussion about the current crisis. Before the meetings, he did say that he loathed the “anonymous” criticism that was leaked to some media. After that statement, he allowed the players to confer by themselves.

“I am for honesty and openness,” he said. “And I won’t communicate via the media. That will spoil all the confidence and trust we need. I was clear to the players about that. They came back with a clear position and summarized their criticism. I can do something with that. We all can start making progress now.”

Verbeek feels that there’s still room to work together. “Listen, the meeting wasn’t about whether the players want me out or not. It wasn’t that kind of meeting and no one said they didn’t want to work with me anymore. The intention was to come to an optimum modus operandum to work together, in the interest of the club. No one here is bigger than Feyenoord. We talked as grown ups. And they’ve shown they want to take responsibility. That’s a good thing.”

The Feyenoord fans have aimed their poisoned arrows at the players and the technical director Peter Bosz. The latter is held responsible for the dire situation at the club. “I understand that. Whenever the results are disappointing, it’s the coach or the management that cops it. The coach is new, so they pick on me. I can relate to that.”

Bosz doesn’t want to talk about his meeting with the skipper and his assistants. “We had a constructive, positive meeting. The idea is to have the faces all pointing in the same direction. And I think we managed to do so.”

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