Scheringa: We’re one big family at AZ Alkmaar!

By: Jan | September 23rd, 2008

Right after the last whistle of AZ - PSV (1-0), chairman Dirk Scheringa was on the pitch next to his coach, Louis van Gaal. The press was there immediately, to see how the AZ owner congratulated his coach with the win.

So, no resignations, send offs, towels in the ring and emotional outbursts. Van Gaal cheered, but modestly. In days of doom, all parties tended to huddle close together. Right behind Scheringa, technical director Marcel Brands came to the field as well.

The compliments and the half hug - the hand in Van Gaal’s neck - showed a deep bond and relief.

Did Scheringa feel the need to hug Van Gaal earlier in the week as well, asked a journalist? “Yes, I can say that I did and I can say that I actually hugged him too,” the famously wealthy skate and art lover confessed.

“That’s how we do things here. When the going gets tough, we tend to talk more and share more. AZ is a familiy club and we won’t let eachother down when things don’t go our way. There was no special reason for me to go to the field, if you pay attention you’d know I always do that after a game.”

Still, it was high tension in Alkmaar the last couple of weeks. The media wanted to know if Van Gaal in his 22 years of successful coaching still had the ability to motivate a group of young players. Scheringa and Brands however, have the utmost confidence in their trainer. “Louis has tried out several systems and trained intensively on those. This is the system he ended up with and when you then defeat the champion, I think you’ve done well.”

The AZ fans wanted Van Gaal’s head, last week. Something Dirk Scheringa could understand. “Listen, we have the most loyal fans of Holland. But topsport is emotion and when it’s done in a considerate manner, the fans are allowed to express themselves. They hunger for success and they suffered last season. So did I. I love winning and we didn’t win a lot last season, so…”

The confidence in Van Gaal is still there and that means the players will have to either work with him and his beliefs or leave. Players who undermine the vibe of the club or who can’t work in Van Gaal’s system and approach will have a problem. Scheringa feels the group has a certain balance and doesn’t feel the atmosphere is bad.

But, he says, Van Gaal has also changed his views. He experimented with new concepts and even used two players who were sort of out of credit. Demy de Zeeuw - who hadn’t played for weeks - was back and creative midfielder Martens came into the team, to score the winning goal.

AZ played with one striker. Van Gaal: “I normally don’t change my system, but out of respect for PSV’s strength, I thought it was the right thing do. We won’t do this every week, though, but at the same time, I want to stay in the winning mood.”

Van Gaal is mostly content with the players’ faces in the changing room. “I saw happy and smiling faces. That’s what we gained. I am pretty balanced myself, you know that. When we lose, I’m not extremely depressed and when we win, I am not over the top happy…”

Yeah, right Louis