At the Championship of Willem II last season, defender Freek Heerkens still celebrated plenty of party with trainer Peter Maes. Since two weeks, however, the 35-year-old former player has been technical director and he had to bring Maes the annoying news that he had to leave immediately. “You prefer not to make the decision to stop the trainer, but in the end we had to.”
Heerkens said goodbye as a professional footballer last season after the last league match. He did that at the club with which he took the title for the second time. He did not leave Willem II, because he continued as coordinator for football policy & transformation. Almost two weeks ago, position improvement followed when he was asked as a temporary successor to Tom Caluwé left for KV Mechelen.
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As an interim-technical director, he had to bring annoying news to trainer Peter Maes within two weeks. After only two points in thirteen games this calendar year, the club said goodbye to the Belgian trainer, who was hailed last season because of the championship.
“It was a very difficult decision. We are very grateful to Peter Maes for what he has meant for Willem II. As a player I already had a good and respectful bond with him and that has remained. But I have to separate that feeling from my current position,” says Heerkens.
“This season there has always been good consultation where we could improve the team or how we could achieve something so that the results would get better. Unfortunately, we did not succeed. We hope with this decision that we will enter the final phase of the competition with a new dynamic.”
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With four games to go, Assistant trainer Kristof Aelbrecht takes over the tasks as head coach. “We have full confidence in Kristof and the rest of the technical staff. We have not thought of another trainer, although it may cause a shock effect. But if you maintain yourself, you will be with a trainer that you had come up with for the short term. We also think of the long term.”
“Everyone craves results.”
Heerkens feels the eagerness within the players’ group. “Everyone wants to put their shoulders under it and crave results. I am convinced that we will achieve good results in the coming matches. Willem II is a club that is Eredivisigende in many areas and that is why I have faith in enforcement.”
Whether Heerkens will remain as technical director after this season is not yet clear. “That is an option, but at the club we are looking at how we want to fill in the technical management. After this season there will be a definitive answer.”
“There is no homesick for the field.”
In any case, he does not miss football himself. “I have to remind myself of how I have felt in the last seasons. I always had pains and certainly no small pains. No, there is not homesick for the field.”
