John van den Brom has now been working at Lech Poznan for more than a year. The Polish club is organizing a training camp in the Netherlands and last Saturday the trainer had a reunion with his old club AZ. “Always nice to be back in the Netherlands,” says Van den Brom despite the 4-0 defeat in the friendly match in Dirkshorn.
Van den Brom is in the right place at Lech Poznan. Last season he finished third in the league with the club and they made it to the semi-finals of the Conference League. “It would have been nice to meet AZ in the final,” says Van den Brom, who was eliminated by Fiorentina at the time. “I think it’s been a nice, successful campaign for us.”
In Poland, Lech Poznan is one of the biggest clubs in the country. Together with Legia Warsaw, the club competed for the national title. “We had a good season last season,” Van den Brom continues. “Of course it is all different. The country, the culture and the language are different. You will learn the politeness and the coaching moments after a year, but don’t expect an interview in Polish.”
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In Dirkshorn, Van den Brom, who is still the longest-serving trainer ever at AZ, saw a recognizable image of the club where he worked until 2019. “For me it is no surprise how they always play. The way of playing is clear and I think the players also know what is expected and asked of them. You see that every time. You know that there will be a great team again that is also well prepared physically. It is always fun to watch.”
Lech Poznan starts next Thursday in the preliminary round of the Conference League and starts the new season in the league next weekend.