Dick Lukkien: ‘If Araujo indicates that he is ready to play, he will play’

The coach of the Drenthe club celebrated his 50th birthday last Monday. “I haven’t had much with birthdays in recent years, but I have to say that I really enjoyed it. At home, but also a day later at the club. It’s nice that colleagues, but also the supporters, thought of it.”

Lukkien expects a swirling atmosphere in Doetinchem. “Of course we have to wait and see how the field will be. There is a lot of snow on the way and there are even sounds that about ten centimeters will be lying. But in any case it will be a beautiful poster, in a swirling ambiance with a sold out section. That’s great.”

Despite a mediocre phase in which the club took only six points from the last seven games, De Graafschap is still in the race for a place in the play-offs. For this, at least a place in the first eight is required, although the seventh place is completely certain. The gap to seventh place is three points, although De Graafschap did play a game more than ADO Den Haag (7th) and Roda JC (6th).

Halfway through March Reinier Robbemond was fired by De Graafschap and Jan Vreman was appointed as interim trainer. “Under the leadership of Vreman, De Graafschap played a great game at FC Eindhoven, which was won 2-1. They will therefore start the game against us with full confidence. We can wet our chests.”

FC Emmen only won five of the twenty previous encounters in Doetinchem. The last time was on January 17, 2015. Earlier this season FC Emmen lost at home to De Graafschap. After a halftime score of 0-0 it became 0-2 by hits from Hunte and Gravenberch.

Dick Lukkien will most likely start against De Graafschap with the following players: Brouwer, Veendorp, Araujo, Veldmate, Burnet, El Azzouzi, Vlak, Romeny, Mendes, Kharchouch and Assehnoun.

De Graafschap – FC Emmen starts on Friday evening at 8 p.m. The live broadcast on Radio Drenthe starts half an hour earlier.