NH Sportforum: “Mud throwing in Volendam and the colorful Mike Snoei”

We kick off with Ajax. “The players are now fighting for every square centimeter again”, are the first words of Stephan Brandhorst in this monthly football retrospective. The reigning national champion is scribbling up a bit under the new trainer John Heitinga. The team from Amsterdam defeated Cambuur (5-0), RKC (3-1), Sparta (4-0) and Vitesse (2-1) in recent weeks. “Every coach would have won these league games. And I think these results mask the situation. The game still hasn’t improved. It’s slow with a lot of defensive mistakes.”

“Clarity”

“It would be strange if things are going great at Ajax right now”, Erik-Jan Brinkman contradicts Brandhorst’s words. The reporter does think that Heitinga’s hand is visible. “They are indeed easy opponents, but Ajax didn’t win those matches under Schreuder. Give Heitinga a little more time. It’s going better, plus he gives much more clarity to his players.”

Text continues below the photo.

“Indeed, because there is now no longer any doubt about the positions of Tadic, Bergwijn and Kudus,” Milton Pus adds to Brinkman’s statements. “The season can still be saved for Ajax with the double. The home match against Feyenoord is a benchmark.” However, Pus is critical of Owen Wijndal. “You just expect more from him. He is only a bit of a basic player now, it’s time for him to reach a higher level.”

Brandhorst does not agree with the words of his colleague Pus about a possible championship for the team from Amsterdam. “For me it will be a championship of poverty. Such a big club and with so many resources and then showing this bad football. I think that Ajax does not really deserve the scale.”

“Underdog Position”

Then on to the number three in the Eredivisie, AZ. The Alkmaarders had a number of disappointing results in February. Including the 2-1 defeat in Rotterdam against Feyenoord. Still, Brandhorst thinks that you should not eliminate Pascal Jansen’s team for the title. “Maybe this is good for AZ. Coming back from an underdog position. After all, the gap is not that big.” Brinkman does not see the scale going to Alkmaar happening. “AZ has had really good and beautiful periods and the game is much more attractive to watch than last season. I just don’t see a first place happening. There is too little quality and experience for that compared to Ajax, for example.”

AZ European is still participating. Next Tuesday, the Alkmaarders will go to Rome for the first leg of the Conference League. Lazio is the opponent in that eighth final. Brandhorst sees AZ continue. Pus is a little less optimistic. “I don’t expect it.” The Italians are currently fourth in Serie A.

“Heads Roll”

The sun is shining on the field in Volendam, but there is a lot of unrest on an administrative level. In the media, Keje Molenaar and Wim Jonk have said everything necessary about the situation. “I don’t understand why you do this in the middle of the season,” said Brandhorst. “That you throw mud, because now heads have to roll. Or team Jonk or the Supervisory Board out.” It also appears that FC Volendam is in the financial danger zone. Presenter Edward Dekker about this: “Chairman Jan Smit says that the capital is on the field, although that seems a bit risky to me. For example, the generous transfer of Micky van de Ven was a while ago, and yet Volendam has suffered a loss in the past two seasons.”

Text continues below the photo.

“I think this situation has been going on for much longer,” Brandhorst continues about the management crisis at the eel farmers. “Last summer it took so long for trainer Jonk to extend his contract.” Although Brandhorst appreciates team Jonk’s decisiveness. “You have to dare to make a rigorous decision every now and then. Clean up, implement policy and then perform.” There will probably be more clarity on March 9, because then Volendam will organize an information evening in De Jozef where everyone is welcome and can ask questions. “That will be ax day,” says Brandhorst with a wink.

A level lower in the first division, Telstar is doing quite well this season with a tenth place. “Telstar only has one problem and that is a finisher”, Brinkman analyzes the performance of the White Lions. “Other than that, it’s pretty well put together.” Presenter Dekker also agrees: “If you only score 26 times, then something is not going well. Of course it is great what the rearguard shows. Especially with this budget.” Top scorer at Telstar this season is Glynor Plet. The 35-year-old attack leader scored six times. “I think we are too critical,” says Brandhorst firmly against Dekker and Brinkman. “We now approach Telstar almost as a top club. If the people of Velsen would also score a lot, they would almost be at the top.”

“Awe”

In the month of February, the team from Velsen booked a few nice victories. Such as the away victories at De Graafschap and Jong FC Utrecht. On the other hand, there was a very big loss against Heracles last weekend. In Almelo, Mike Snoei’s men lost 7-0. Dekker: “I find that inexplicable.” Brandhorst does not understand that either. “It seemed as if they were in awe of the opponent. Especially if you play against the number two in the first division, then you hit it.”

Text continues below the photo.

Finally, the reporters chat about Mike Snoei. The Telstar coach is anything but a gray mouse in professional football. The entire sports editors of NH can actually enjoy that. Dekker: “This gives color, it is never boring with him.” Brinkman regularly interviews the coach of the Velsen team after matches. “Football is entertainment and Mike Snoei participates well in that.”

Family of Koen Blommestijn

Reporter Pus can talk about that. He interviewed Snoei after the victory over Jong FC Utrecht and asked him several times why the recently fit Koen Blommestijn did not come on. That’s where the trainer went down the wrong way and said to Pus if he might be related to Blommestijn. “At first I thought he was joking, but when I looked deep into his eyes I realized he wasn’t.” Still, Pus can appreciate Telstar’s outspoken trainer. “I always enjoy listening to him, except when he’s in front of my camera.”

The NH Sportforum was broadcasted on Sunday 26 February from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm and can be listened back via nhradio.nl. The next episode is Sunday, March 26. Do you have any questions or comments? Then email to [email protected]