In his more than seven years as head coach of FC Emmen, Dick Lukkien was promoted twice, became champion, trainer of the year and more. However, there was one thing that was still missing from his record, but that has been a thing of the past since Sunday.
Referee Joey Kooij whistled in the second half of the game between FC Emmen and NEC for an alleged foul by Richairo Zivkovic. It caused outrage along the sidelines, including Dick Lukkien. The FC Emmen trainer made a lot of noise by throwing his arms in the air, as if to ask: ‘How can you whistle for this?’ The answer came quickly, in the form of a yellow card that is.
Scoop on Easter Sunday
It was his first ever card as head coach in professional football. “And that while I am a very easy man along the line, for both the referee and the fourth man,” said Lukkien. A first on Easter Sunday. “I must have said, like, ‘That was nothing’. But I got the yellow card for the appeal. That is not allowed, because that way you show the stadium that you do not agree.”
Then the match itself. FC Emmen was left with one point in the battle with NEC, but there was really nothing more to it. Lukkien thought so too. “NEC played easier and got the better chances. So we needed a good keeper to get a point. We did find a way to get into the game and stay. Too bad Zivkovic’s goal was disallowed. So there were moments, but all in all, NEC was slightly better.”
A fun football afternoon
Apart from the point, which is of course very welcome in the fight against relegation, the coach was satisfied with the efforts of his players. “They just fought for what they are worth, you can not expect more from them.” In that respect, he also sees progress compared to the first half of the season. “We had another chance just before the end. It was well defended. That opportunity was there before the winter break.”
All that fighting, that progress: it means that Lukkien, who of course would have preferred three points, says he can quickly get over this draw against NEC. “You must count your blessings. The gap to Excelsior has grown, even apart from our better goal difference. We’ll see what that’s worth in the end. Moreover, I think that with the help of a beautiful stadium we were able to make it a fun football afternoon.”