He considered withdrawing his team from the cup tournament or leaving his basic players at home, but trainer Hans van der Ploeg will play against SC Genemuiden with his Gorecht on Easter Monday. Under considerable protest, yes. SVBO and Hoogeveen will also play in the quarterfinals of the cup tournament this weekend.
,,Inconceivable”, Van der Ploeg still finds the way in which the KNVB football association behaved. Van der Ploeg asked the association to postpone the match against fourth divisionist SC Genemuiden in the quarter finals of the northern district cup. The reason: Gorecht is already playing an important league match on Saturday, against Leeuwarder Zwaluwen, and Van der Ploeg thinks that his players have far too little time for a good recovery. ,,From the same association we learn the importance of load and recovery at the trainer’s training, but in practice the KNVB does not seem to take it seriously at all. Playing two important games in 48 hours is simply not good at all. That’s asking for trouble.”
Request not honored
The first division received zero at the union. In fact, the KNVB refused to communicate with the Gorecht trainer, to the anger of Van der Ploeg. But an official administrative request from Gorecht to move the match was also not honored. And so Van der Ploeg opted for eggs for his money. Under protest. “I find it really ridiculous,” he says.
“But it is no different. We have bought in recovery shakes and are approaching this weekend very seriously. As staff, we expect a real top sports mentality from the entire selection. Otherwise we won’t make it. I’m going to puzzle a lot which guys we give more rest than others, and we will probably play with two very different teams. But luckily I have 22 fit football players. I just hope the guys will keep their beers down this weekend. But they are sensible enough, I think.”
The game against Zwaluwen is the most important
The first game of this Easter weekend, before the competition against Leeuwarder Zwaluwen, the team that is one point above the Harenaren in 1F Saturday, Van der Ploeg describes as the most important of the two. “We want to stay in the first division, that is clear. But we also really want to win against Genemuiden, because we qualify for the big cup tournament. And we get chances every game, so now too.”
Van der Ploeg was happy with the performance of second divisionist Spakenburg in the KNVB cup tournament. “They showed that you can really achieve something in the cup. I have already used Spakenburg as an example for my boys a few times, because Genemuiden is of course the favourite. Hopefully we can stunt on Monday.”
SVBO and Hoogeveen only have visors on the cup
SVBO and Hoogeveen also play in the quarterfinals of the cup. Hoogeveen plays in and against Jubbega on Sunday, SVBO will visit Blauw Wit’34 on Monday. Both Drenthe teams have no competition obligations and are ready. ,,Yes, this is of course a great opportunity to reach the big cup tournament”, says Arthur van der Veen, trainer of first division club SVBO. ,,Blauw Wit’34 is currently in the winning mood and we started moderately after the winter break, but this is cup football. We are fit and looking forward to it.” Blauw Wit’34 also has the same problem as Gorecht: on Saturday, the Leeuwarders, who are leaders in 1F, will play against Broekster Boys.
Nico Haak, trainer of Hoogeveen, leader in the fourth division, certainly does not want to underestimate first division Jubbega. ,, Former professionals such as Jeroen and Henrico Drost play there, but also Xander Houtkoop. And a guy like Koen Steg, who played for ACV last year. That’s real quality. We come with our strongest team, because we also want to make it to the KNVB cup tournament.”