Dick Lukkien was crowned the best trainer of the season in the Kitchen Champion Division tonight. The trainer was unable to receive the prize himself.
De Veendammer was sick at home and so his assistants Casper Goedkoop, Bas Sibum, Richard Moes and Gerhard Wermink received the Golden Shield from national coach Louis van Gaal.
Lukkien dealt with Maarten Martens (Jong AZ), John Heitinga (Jong Ajax) and Rob Penders (FC Eindhoven).
Van Gaal had praise for FC Emmen “And especially for the board. The policymakers have remained calm, have let the trainer sit and see the result.”
Anyone who thought that Michael Brouwer could receive the Golden Shield as ‘best goalkeeper in the Kitchen Champion Division’ was disappointed. De Apeldoorner, who was rented from Heracles last season, had to recognize his superior in Nick Olij: the keeper of NAC. Nigel Bertrams (FC Eindhoven) and Stijn van Gassel (Excelsior) were the other nominees who did not win any prizes. Last Friday, Brouwer did receive the Tonny van Leeuwen Trophy as the least passed goalkeeper in professional football.
Rui Mendes was one of the nominees for the title ‘player of the year’. The Portuguese attacker, who became the top scorer of the Drenthe club last season with 15 hits, saw Volendam striker Robert Mühren take off with the prize. Thijs Dallinga (Excelsior Rotterdam), Joey Sleegers (FC Eindhoven) and Patrick Pflücke (Roda JC) were also nominated in this category. Dallinga was put in the spotlight in Den Bosch as the top scorer of the Kitchen Champion Division.
Van Gaal made a small sneer at Dallinga’s former employer: FC Groningen. “Isn’t it crazy that they let you go last year?” said the head coach. The former youth player of FC Emmen reacted modestly. “The first two seasons I did not reach the level I wanted at FC Groningen, but in the third year I had earned more opportunities. That is why I decided to leave for a club where I would get a lot of playing time and luckily it turned out great. .”
Johan Bakayoko, attacker of Jong PSV, received the prize as the greatest talent in the Kitchen Champion Division.