Freddy de Grooth, also known to the general public as ‘Freddy Frikandel’, hung up his football boots last year and became trainer of the first team of Groninger Boys. Last Sunday he was suddenly under the bar.
It had to be, according to inquiries with the now 40-year-old De Grooth. ,,Due to injuries, there was no keeper available, so I went there myself. The boy from the student team, whom we call on in such cases, had to play at 1 p.m..”
He still holds the almost unattainable northern record of 544 league goals, but his performance as goalkeeper was not a success. In the important match against SVZ, the former goal machine had to fish three times and therefore a possible period title went up in smoke.
Although the defeat was not only his fault. In fact, according to a number of spectators, De Grooth did not do it without merit. “I have been under the bar before. I also enjoyed being part of the team in this way”, he responds.
“But I’d rather be on the sidelines now, you know. Hopefully our goalkeeper will come back from his injury soon.”
Fresh wind at Groninger Boys
Speaking of the new-fangled trainership. ,,I have never experienced that everything is so close together in the competition”, says De Grooth. “One week you play for relegation and the next week for promotion.”
Groninger Boys is now in safe eighth place. A point above Westerwolde, which is the next opponent. “It’s a home game. Fortunately, because we play fantastic football on artificial turf. It’s a nice young team. If we can keep this team together, great things can happen.”
That was different a few years ago. Lots of noise, little ambition and a low training attendance at the team at West-End sports park. ,,But now we train with twenty players every Tuesday and Thursday. Even the injured come to watch the training.”
So a breath of fresh air at the 100-year-old club. ,,Since Albert (Nout, the other head coach, ed.) and I have taken over, a different wind is blowing. Lots of youth and own boys. That is really nice to see.”