First, FC Volendam will celebrate promotion to the Eredivisie tomorrow. To ensure that the club does not immediately relegate next season, the selection must be strengthened. Technical director Jasper van Leeuwen says he has to invest ‘smartly’, because the people from Volendam will be working with one of the lowest budgets. He is hopeful of retaining Internazionale mercenaries Filip Stankovic and Gaetano Oristanio.
Jasper van Leeuwen about the selection of FC Volendam in the Eredivisie – NH Sport / Edward Dekker
FC Volendam sees a complete midfield leave with Alex Plat, Kevin Visser (AFC) and Boy Deul. Although the door is still ajar for 34-year-old Deul. “We haven’t had a final conversation with Boy yet.”
In the front, Martijn Kaars (Helmond Sport) and Jim Beers say goodbye, while in the back Mike Eerdhuijzen (Sparta) and keeper Dion Vlak (Spakenburg) seek refuge elsewhere. The talented defender Joshua Trust received an offer from FC Volendam, but seems to be leaving for FC Utrecht.
“The players who are there now will really have to go to another level”
“We need reinforcements in every line,” says Van Leeuwen. “I can’t put a number on how many players there are. Not ten, but not two either. It will be somewhere in between. But the players who are there now will really have to go to another level. That challenge applies to everybody.”
“Shoot for the moon and you might hit the star is the verdict right?”
That last week the names of the former Ajax players Jurgen Ekkelenkamp and Carel Eiting as possible targets came out, the technical director was surprised. “We know both guys from Ajax, but we haven’t started on that yet. It’s the famous story of the lists, they are always there. Whether it is these players or others, I don’t know why you wouldn’t bet high Shoot for the moon and you might hit the star is the verdict right?”
Stability
Despite the fact that FC Volendam’s budget is going up, the club will have to manage in the Eredivisie with limited resources. “We have to sail close to the wind.”
The team of trainer Wim Jonk has to work on more stability. Or as Van Leeuwen says: “If the season were a match, we played thirty minutes fine, thirty minutes reasonable and there were thirty minutes where you say: ‘What am I watching?’ Regardless of the level, we have to control a game a lot more.”
Of course, the most important thing for FC Volendam is not to be relegated next season. Although Van Leeuwen calls this an open door. He summarizes the objective in three words: “Surprise, inspire and prove.”
Text continues below the video.
Technical director Jasper van Leeuwen about the goal for next season – NH Sport / Edward Dekker
It is striking that the interim transfers have brought FC Volendam less than hoped. Although the technical director contradicts that statement. Still, Franco Antonucci, who has been hired from Feyenoord and purchases Bilal Ould-Chikh, Oskar Buur and Benaissa Benamar, were often not in the starting lineup.
According to Van Leeuwen, the fitness of this quartet played a major role. “In that respect, it didn’t work out, because of course they had to help with the promotion† Only the idea behind the reinforcements was that they should be in the Eredivisie next year.”
The new football season starts on the weekend of August 5-7.
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