RKC enters the interland break with zero points from four matches. In addition, it was not yet able to score a field goal and already had to collect 13 goals. After two glorious years, reality is at least back in Waalwijk. Enough reasons to worry?
After Saturday’s lost game, the chorus of ‘Fraser rotten’ sounded very softly in the stands. The new trainer of the Waalwijk club would of course have wished for a better start, but the poor results cannot be seen separately from the program of RKC (Heerenveen-away, AZ-home, NEC-out and PSV-home).
“The people who sing that should go fuck themselves.” Goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen is clear when the statements of a few in the stands are presented to him. “If you are that negative, you have no business at RKC.” And he is right, of course, because it would be ridiculous if the trainer was fired after four games and this program.
“I understand the negativity in the stands.”
Still, there are plenty of reasons to be concerned about RKC. It has no points yet and also has the worst goal difference. “What is worrying is that when we could take points, we didn’t do it.” Trainer Henk Fraser refers to the away games against Heerenveen and NEC, when there was more to it for RKC.
“I therefore understand the negativity in the stands. But I see the process we are in. I need to get my team to race faster. But we have already taken this scenario into account in advance.”
“I’m not going to say goodbye with a relegation”
In fact, Fraser only had three points with Sparta in 2020 after seven games. The end result was eighth place. Even then the trainer had a difficult program to choose from.
Yet the reality is that there are still few leads with the Waalwijkers. Much to the frustration of keeper Vaessen. “I always want to win and get the most out of it. That feeling has not been there in recent games. Football can’t always be fun. We are now in the negative, but we have to get stronger from that.”
The goalkeeper seems to be working on his last season in Waalwijk. His contract expires and the Breda native hopes for a nice transfer. But first you have to perform. “I am not going to say goodbye with a relegation. I don’t wish that on this club and it won’t happen.”
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