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Feyenoord players speak their mind about
Verbeek
Tuesday 09 December 2008
The players of Feyenoord today
issued a unanimous statement: things can not go on like
this.
At the same moment that General
Director Eric Gudde in the Maas Building said to be
100% behind his coach, the players of Feyenoord were
gathered a little further for a crisis meeting.
Without the presence of their coach
they were forming a consensus about how things have
to change.
After the meeting they told the
club's management and Verbeek about their disagreements.
After the lunch captain Giovanni
van Bronckhorst and his replacements Roy Makaay and
Kevin Hofland spoke to Director of Football Peter Bosz
to express the discontent of the squad.
Verbeek had been informed about
the same a little before.
The players want structural changes
to the way Verbeek communicates to his players.
Relations are strained to such
an extend that there is too little mutual trust to achieve
good performances.
Verbeek's training methods add
to that.
Within the squad few players support
the way Verbeek works, a way - they ay - leads to more
injuries and fewer points.
Close before the winter break Feyenoord
are on a sad 11th spot and with games against AZ (Sunday)
and PSV (Sunday week) coming up there is a real chance
that Feyenoord finish their centennial year on 15th
place.
After last Sunday's defeat against
De Graafschap a state of emergency was declared in De
Kuip.
On behalf of the players Kevin
Hofland did not want to reveal details about the team
meeting earlier this morning.
"We keep that internally,"
the defender said.
"But as a group we have agreed
which direction we want to go. We had a frank discussion.
Let it be clear that we as the players no full well
that w are responsible for our performances. We have
failed. It is as simple as that."
Hofland evades the question whether
he wants Verbeek to stay on as manager.
"I have no comment on that."
Then, generally speaking: "I
have always said that I play for Feyenoord and for the
team, not so much for a coach. In two years, two months
or two days there may be another coach. That's how it
goes. As a player you must always make sure you perform."
Verbeek said he is happy that the
players have spoken without holding back about the emergency.
Before the group meeting he expressed
his discontent about the anonymous criticism in the
media of recent days.
After that he has consciously left
his players to themselves.
"It's all about honest communication,"
Verbeek says.
"And not through the press.
Something like that spoils the atmosphere and trust.
I have made that very clear to the players. After their
team meeting they have given me a clear transcript of
what was said. We as a technical staff can benefit from
these conclusions."
Verbeek denies that the situation
has become unworkable.
"No they have not said that
they want me out. It's our intention to get to an optimal
cooperation, in the interest of Feyenoord. We spoke
as adults, and everyone showed they want to take up
their responsibility. That is a good sign."
The fans of Feyenoord are mainly
aiming their frustration at the players and Director
of Football Peter Bosz.
The latter is held responsible
for the current situation, in which no results are being
booked with a thoroughly renovated squad of players.
"But that is a logical mechanism,"
says Bosz.
"When things go wrong it is
often the coach or the Director of Football who gets
the blame. The coach is new here, so they are pointing
at me. I can understand that."
Bosz did not want to comment on
his talk with Van Bronckhorst, Makaay and Hofland.
"But it was positive. We have
tried to close ranks and we succeeded."
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