Feyenoord do not want to think about 2006

Sjoerd Mossou
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Thursday 23 October 2008

Feyenoord goal keeper Henk Timmer doesn't have many memories about the dressing room of Stade Marcel Picot in Nancy.

"Because of all the tear gas I couldn't see too well at the moment," he says with a benign smile on his face.

A bit of gallows humor will not harm on the eve of a historically burdened game.

Thursday's UEFA Cup game AS Nancy-Feyenoord brings back memories of that dark night in November 2006.

During the last training session Timmer is standing right in front of the stand where it all went so horribly wrong that night.

The chairs that were flying around have been screwed back on the concrete.

The perspex has been replaced and all is peaceful.

The drama of that day is not a topic today, Timmer says.

"If it wasn't for you asking about it I would have paid it no mind at all," says the man who unwillingly became the face of the misery.

Pictures of the Feyenoord goal keeper stunned by tear gas were seen all over the world.

"Of course people will remember that picture," says Timmer.

"But it's a different time with two different teams. Within our team we are not talking about it."

Feyenoord have other things to worry about.

The fifteenth spot in the Eredivisie seems more relevant.

Looking back is something for the public, players and staff are trying to tell themselves.

"Of this team only Jonathan de Guzman, Serginho Greene and I were there that night," says Timmer.

Nonetheless Feyenoord will have to do without the support of it's fans in Nancy.

Shortly after the draw Feyenoord's management decided not to allow fans to travel.

Better safe than sorry was the idea.

The sponsors and most officials have also stayed at home.

UEFA are monitoring Feyenoord's every move, as the club have had a bad name in Europe for years now.

"Of course I understand the decision of our management," coach Gertjan Verbeek says.

"But it's a shame that we can not have the support of our fans. In the previous round against Kalmar FF they have been a tremendous force. Let's not forget about all the good fans, the vast majority."

In spite of the terrible start to the season the coach remains calm.

Verbeek is very matter-of-factish when analyzing his teams achievements and shrugs his shoulders convincingly when asked about his own position.

"I know coaches have been fired for less. But what's that to me? The only thing I can do is try to do my job as good as I can. I am convinced that our hard work will pay of, but when exactly you can never know. If it doesn't happen it doesn't happen."

Verbeek sees his team making progress, in spite of the fourth defeat on Sunday.

"We try to challenge the players continuously. Let them think about their game, take responsibility. That has taken off. There is a lot of life in this squad. Players are honest and open to each other. But at home against Ajax and away to Kalmar, that should be the standard."

Looking at the table one might get cynical, but in and around Feyenoord things are remarkably calm. A lot calmer than it was two years ago, when they last visited Nancy.

"That year there was turmoil of every kind," Henk Timmer says.

"The fuzz around Jorien van den Herik, the financial story, it all came at once then."

Thursday's opponents Nancy are also in trouble at the moment.

They hold the sixteenth spot in the French highest division, one place lower even than Feyenoord.

The French too have a completely different team than in 2006.

"All the more reasons for a new chapter," says Timmer.

"I hope the memories of Nancy will change for the better. We have a lot to win."