Lazovic confirms all stigmas

Robèrt Misset
Monday 16 March 2009

He says good-bye to the last familiar face at his former club Feyenoord and then plods to the players bus. Danko Lazovic had to listen to the most insulting chants on Sunday afternoon in the Feyenoord stadium, but what hurts most of all was his clownish miss in front of an open goal which would have put his club PSV Eindhoven ahead in the game against Feyenoord.

He's a prat, a born instigator and an egotist who regularly harms the team's interest.

Ask basketball coach Ton Boot after his opinion about the Serb and he doesn't even want to mention his name: "Wrap him up and take him away."

In the match against Feyenoord, yesterday afternoon Lazovic confirmed all stigmas attached to him.

He plants an elbow in the face of Feyenoord keeper Henk Timmer, causing the net minder to be replaced at half-time by the 40-year-old Rob van Dijk.

Tackle
Feyenoord-captain Giovanni Van Bronckhorst by then has already settled the score by hitting Lazovic hard with a late tackle.

Of course Lazovic rolls like a mortally wounded soldier, as does Van Bronckhorst when the PSV-forward takes revenge at the start of the second half.

Two yellow cards, bill settled.

After his collision with Timmer Lazovic sees a forest of middle fingers stretched towards him as he responds to the reproof of the Feyenoord-players with the f-word.

Former PSV-coach Huub Stevens, who was scoffed at so embarrassingly by Lazovic, knows all bout it.

Lazovic is a player of the most annoying kind.

His massive ego is unable to deal with criticism and he often celebrates a goal with provocative gestures to the opposing fans.

But in De Kuip yesterday he was a morally broken forward and a symbol of the team that has remained unstable under caretaker coach Lodeweges.

Psychological warfare
The master of psychological warfare was beaten with his own weapons yesterday and this time Lazovic only has himself to blame for it, and he know that.

"It seemed an easy goal, as I have scored so many," he mutters.

"This is bad for me and for the team."

Lazovic thinks back to the 70th minute, when Feyenoord midfielder El Ahmadi can not find a team mate and loses the ball to Mendez deep into his own half.

The PSV midfielder provides Lazovic with a massive chance that only needs a little flick into the open goal.

With a simple flick of his right foot Lazovic can have his revenge on he club who landed him for 7 million and then sold him for almost nothing two years later.

But Lazovic' effort is a joke and the ball slowly rolls wide of the far post.

Scorn of the Feyenoord fans is his part and when he misses another sitter only minutes later he seems to be looking for a hole in the pitch to disappear into.

Desperation
What should he say? Lazovic raises his arms in desperation and finds his team has dropped unnecessary points again.

The gap with number 4 Heerenveen is now 8 points which means PSV now depend on others to qualify for European football.

It's even possible that PSV will have to face Feyenoord again in the play-offs for the last UEFA Cup ticket.

In a way Feyenoord's caretaker Leon Vlemmings now has better prospects than his colleague in Eindhoven Dwight Lodeweges after Leroy Fer's goal gave his team the three points.

Successor
All who saw PSV bungle in De Kuip might want to urge Director of Football Jan Reker to waste no more time appointing a successor to Stevens.

Even with three key players off in the second half Feyenoord managed to get a result against the reigning champions in the second half and that means PSV have gained 1 point from their last three games.

Feyenoord in the meanwhile are forcing their future coach Mario Been - now at NEC Nijmegen - into an awkward situation.

There are only two points between NEC and Feyenoord on place 9 and 10 and that 9th spot could mean all the difference for next season.

Danko Lazovic could have ended all such discussions had he simply scored.

"But then you shouldn't make such a mess of it as I did in front of an open goal..."