Pierre van Hooijdonk back at Studio Voetbal: ‘I have been in contact with Maurice Steijn, but he thought it was still too early for a conversation’ | Dutch football

“I had no evidence for my remarks. You should never do that, so that’s why I apologised. I have contacted Maurice and would like to have a conversation with him, but he thought it was still too early for that. That is of course allowed, but as far as I am concerned, that door is open, preferably as soon as possible,” said Van Hooijdonk.

“I will have to regain the viewer’s trust, I understand that. I can certainly look objectively at Ajax and the trainer Steijn. I’ve been successful in doing that for the past ten years. I hope we can now draw a line under this matter, gladly even. This has been a one-off slip, I can already reveal that,” said Van Hooijdonk, after which he was told by presenter Sjoerd van Ramshorst and NOS reporter Jeroen Stekelenburg that they are happy that he is back at the table on Sunday evening.

In the days after his comments about Maurice Steijn, Van Hooijdonk received a storm of criticism and did not join the weekly football program on Sunday evening for two weeks, but was now allowed to take a seat again from the NOS.

“Pierre realizes that he has made a slip and has apologized for it,” said Gert-Jaap Hoekman, the new editor-in-chief of NOS Sport, on Saturday evening. “We have spoken well and intensively about this. I am confident that he will resume his role professionally on Sunday.”

Van Hooijdonk: ,,I should not have made those statements and I have apologized for that. This was an important learning moment for me. I will have to prove myself to the viewer in the near future due to the slip-up.”

Over the past two Sundays, Andries Jonker (coach of the Oranje Leeuwinnen) and Ron Jans (trainer without a club after leaving FC Twente) sat down with presenter Sjoerd van Ramshorst and analysts Ibrahim Afellay and Rafael van der Vaart. Tonight Van Hooijdonk sat at the table with Van Ramshorst, Afellay and NOS analysts Jeroen Stekelenburg and Leonne Stentler.

Van Hooijdonk will also analyze the international matches of Orange next week together with Van der Vaart. The team of national coach Ronald Koeman will play against Greece in Eindhoven on Thursday evening. The away game against Ireland awaits in Dublin on Sunday evening.