A tricky puzzle awaits Peter Hofstede this summer. Telstar’s technical manager ‘is happy when it is September 1 and there is a good team’. “The budget is sometimes a limitation at Telstar.”
Big changes are happening behind the scenes White Lions. General director Pieter de Waard is stepping down after seventeen years and commercial director Natascha van Grinsven becomes general director at ADO Den Haag. Nevertheless, Telstar’s budget will increase slightly. From 900,000 euros this season, the next season will be around one million euros.
Among other things, players will have to be removed from that. Only six contracts from the current group of players will continue beyond next season. However, Hofstede does not want to speak of an ‘exhaustion’. “There are still some guys that I think we can come out with. I think we will have twelve to thirteen players for next season. Something will have to be added.” And that means a tough summer for the technical manager.
Squat wait
It seems stronger every week that Glynor Plet is really going to leave. Hofstede is still in talks with the attacker, who recently became the top scorer of all time in the competition on behalf of the Telstar. After the match won against NAC Breda (2-1), Plet indicated that there is a good chance that the marriage between him and Telstar will end. “We’ve had a number of conversations and put the ball in his court,” says Hofstede.
Yaël Liesdek also has an expiring contract. The wing defender is in a difficult situation, because he suffered a persistent injury against ADO Den Haag. “He cannot be used in the coming months, he has an injury history, so we have to show ourselves to be a good employer.”
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Buyer’s Guide
Trainer Mike Snoei gave the season a score of eight and Hofstede agrees. Looking at next season, the goal is not quite clear yet. That depends on the transfer summer. With only 39 goals in 38 games, it’s hard to see where the problems lie. Especially given the uncertainty about Plet and the return of David Min to RKC Waalwijk (rented). “We would have liked to have rented him for another year,” says Hofstede. “Maybe we can still do that.”
Christos Giousis is at least one more season with Telstar and Quinten van den Heerik also presents himself. He proved that as a substitute against NAC Breda when he shot his team to the left row. According to Hofstede, the defense will remain pretty intact. “But the midfield will still be a challenge,” says Hofstede, who emphasizes that Telstar really needs to look for new players.